The men’s soccer team had two chances to etch its name into the Patriot League playoffs this season. With six points on the line, the Leopards only eked out one in a 1-1 tie against Bucknell University on Friday and lost its rivalry matchup 2-1 against Lehigh University on Tuesday.
The loss pushed the Leopards out of the Patriot League playoffs, leaving them in eighth place for the season.
The Leopards (3-4-2 Patriot League, 8-6-4 overall) struck first against Bucknell off a breakaway goal from sophomore midfielder Beaux Lizewski in the 38th minute.
However, Bucknell (4-1-4 Patriot League, 6-6-5 overall) found the equalizer in the 65th minute, making for a long final 25 minutes in which both teams registered four shots combined. Neither team could break the deadlock, which set up a dramatic final game at Gummeson Grounds against Lehigh on Tuesday.
The Maroon and White entered the game tied for a playoff spot in a tightly contested Patriot League final day that saw seven teams competing over the four remaining playoff places. The Mountain Hawks sat just one point behind, with a win propelling them above the Leopards and likely into the postseason.
Lehigh started the stronger of the two teams, getting a clean look at goal just two minutes into the contest that forced senior goalkeeper Griffin Huff into a smart save. They would find another chance in the 17th minute when a Lehigh corner kick found an offensive player at the back post, but his shot struck the frame of the goal.
It was a disjointed first half from the Leopards, who could not get much going. They were outshot 6-2 by the Mountain Hawks in the first period, and neither of the Leopards’ shots tested the Lehigh goalkeeper. However, the Maroon and White were able to clamp down defensively in the opening frame, and the sides entered the interval level at 0-0.
The Leopards were able to find their footing at the start of the second half. They had a half-chance in the 59th minute when a long throw from freshman defender Jackson Vajda found sophomore midfielder Beaux Lizewski, who struck the post with his effort.
Lehigh would break the tie just two minutes later, after the Leopards failed to clear a Lehigh free-kick. The Mountain Hawks recycled the ball into the penalty area and found an unmarked attacking player, who easily tapped the ball home to make it a 1-0 game.
The Leopards would cause their own problems again in the 70th minute. Lehigh played a through ball that sent the Leopard defense back toward their own goal. Junior defender Nicholas Liebich raced onto the ball ahead of the Lehigh attacker, but his attempted pass was picked off by Lehigh right in front of goal, allowing them to score their second of the game.
The second goal appeared to wake the Leopards up, as they created a flurry of chances in the final 15 minutes to try and salvage a point in the standings. They would find life in the 82nd minute when senior forward Andrey McIntyre scored from a cross by freshman defender Joseph Lee to cut the lead in half.
Entering desperation mode, the Leopards committed numbers forward in search of a second goal, but Lehigh held on for a 2-1 victory, booking their place in the playoffs at the expense of the Leopards.
“I don’t think we played particularly poorly,” senior midfielder Carter Houlihan said. “Ultimately, they got the better of us and it came down to a few moments.”
Houlihan also stressed that Lafayette’s playoff elimination came down to moments that have added up throughout the year.
“It’s a 90-minute game, but a play that lasts five seconds can be the deciding factor,” Houlihan said. “We had too many go against us where we played great for 80 or 85 minutes, and then in one or two minutes the other team gets something and capitalizes on it.”
Despite the end of the season, senior midfielder Digger Iqbal stressed his pride in the team and his hope for its future.
“In the future, this year might be looked at as a growth year,” Iqbal said. “I think Lafayette soccer will be back in the championship game in the years to come.”
