Moon Township, Pa. – Despite putting together numerous quality scoring opportunities in the second half, the Robert Morris University men's soccer team was unable to find an equalizer as it fell to league-leading LIU Brooklyn, 1-0, this afternoon in Northeast Conference (NEC) play from the North Athletic Complex.
The contest was a physical one, as the teams combined for 36 fouls and six yellow cards. Robert Morris (4-9-1, 2-3-0 NEC) outshot LIU Brooklyn (10-3-1, 5-0-0 NEC) in the second half, 8-5, but couldn't put one past the Blackbird defense.
RMU had a pair of highlight-reel worthy chances over the 90 minutes, the first coming in the eighth minute. Lorenzo Guagneli played Kai Olguin into the box with a free kick, who then crossed it over to Guilherme Fanck on the edge of the 18. Fanck took one touch before volleying it towards the far left post, but it skirted just over the crossbar for a goal kick.
LIU Brooklyn scored the game's lone goal in the 11th minute when Marius Koss found the ball on a deflected cross and buried it inside the far right post.
Cristian Palermo was inches away from his first career goal in the 52nd minute, as he got behind the Blackbird back line on a Zac Sherman pass. Palermo anticipated Sam Ilin closing in and chipped it over the goalkeeper's head, but it bounced on the wrong side of the post.
Two minutes later, Kai Olguin nearly scored his second career goal as his volley attempt from outside the box skied an inch or two over the crossbar. After Owen Pearce's free kick was blocked away for a corner in the 56th minute, Riccardo Rota's header attempt on Guagneli's cross landed left of its target.
The Blackbirds regathered themselves after the barrage of shots and limited RMU's opportunities until the 80th minute. After Winter Fondi kept hope alive with a save on Zach Peterson in the box, Guagneli came down on other end ripped a shot off a LIU defender for a corner. He found Oeyvind Skjesol near the left post with his cross, but Ilin stood his ground and gloved the header attempt.
Fondi made five saves in defeat.
Robert Morris is back in action on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1:00 p.m. when it hosts Central Connecticut.
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