Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University men's soccer team scored the game's opening goal, but ultimately fell to James Madison University, 2-1, on a warm autumn afternoon from the North Athletic Complex.
A pair of penalty kicks put Robert Morris (4-10-2, 1-4-1 NEC) and James Madison (5-9-3, 3-3-2 CAA) on the scoresheet in an evenly played first half, but the visiting Dukes used an 8-3 shot advantage in the final 45 minutes to secure the winning tally.
JMU had the game's first scoring chance in the 12th minute as Billy Meltzer ran into the box and fired a low shot that Winter Fondi gloved. Three minutes later, the Dukes' Toby Appleton drilled the post with a crack from distance. The rebound trickled to Meltzer, who gave it a go but his shot was wide.
RMU then met the woodwork in the 23rd minute when Keane McIvor caught the crossbar with a left-footed strike following a corner kick. Bayley Winkel pushed the ensuing header to the wrong side of the netting, keeping the score at 0-0.
McIvor continued his strong opening half, eventually earning a penalty kick in the 40th minute after being pulled down in the box. The junior midfielder confidently converted his second goal of the season, placing it in the lower left corner while the JMU goalkeeper dove to the opposite side.
The 1-0 lead didn't last long however, as the Dukes earned a penalty in the 44th minute. Toby Appleton took the kick after Meltzer was brought down, putting it in a similar spot as McIvor's to give JMU an equalizer.
The visitors controlled the majority of possession in the second half, but the Colonials had a pair of chances on goal courtesy of Lucas Puntillo and Winkel. The latter opportunity came off a great pass from Kai Olguin, who found the junior midfielder with a through pass into the box.
The Dukes' game-winning goal came in the 68th minute as Meltzer fired in a bouncing cross that was redirected towards the far post by Joe Vyner.
Fondi made six saves in the loss. Winkel led all players in shot attempts with four.
Robert Morris closes its season on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1:00 p.m. against Saint Francis U.
