9/13/21

The Lackawanna Falcons Esports Rocket League team split a pair of matches on Monday night.

NJCAAE Rocket League vs. Carl Albert State College
The Falcons won their first series of the season with a 3-1 (4-2, 2-3, 2-1, 3-1) triumph over Carl Albert State College in NJCAAE competition.

The second match of the doubleheader, the Falcons battled with the Carl Albert State Vikings throughout their first game, getting a pair of goals from Caden Delaney (Gamertag "bozi"), and a goal apiece from Keenan Lewis (Gamertag "fesbot") and Juan Garcia (Gamertag "jaepster"). The Falcons took game #1 4-2. The Vikings would battle back in the 2nd game and jump out to a 3-0 lead, before the Falcons closed the gap with a pair of goals separted by 30 seconds from Jaepster and Bozi. Lackawanna College cut the lead to 3-2, but could not get any closer.

Tied at one, the third game between the Falcons and the Vikings was an offensive struggle, with the Falcons and Vikings both struggling to really find much in the way of offense. Lackawanna College scored just four seconds into the game with a solo run from Fesbot off the kickoff, but the Vikings equalized at the 3:17 mark. The deadlock wouldn't last long, as Japester found what would prove to be the game-winner at 3:02. 

The fourth game against Carl Albert State College started brightly for Lackwanna College, who peppered the Viking defense half with shots and chances. The Falcons broke through at 4:35 in the frame with a shot from Jaepster. Jaep would add another at 3:28, and get a third for a hattrick at 1:51 to go. The Vikings would get one back just nine seconds later at 1:42, but the Falcons would hold out for their first win of the season, and the win in their NJCAAE opener.

The Falcons finished with 28 shots, 11 of which turned into goals. Jaepster led the squad with seven goals against the Vikings, while Bozi added three, and Fesbot chipped in one as well. Bozi also led the Falcons with six saves in the match.



NACE Rocket League vs. Drexel University
In the first match of the night, the Falcons faced stiff competition in the form of Drexel University in NACE competition.

The Dragons swept the Falcons 3-0 (5-2, 6-0, 3-2), scoring 14 goals over the three games. Drexel scored just six seconds into the first game, but the Falcons answered 30 seconds later on a goal by Jaepster, cleaning up a Bozi miss on goal. 

Drexel would strike back just eight seconds later to take a 2-1 lead, and would lengthen it to 3-1 just 15 seconds after that, but the Falcons got back to 3-2 when Fesbot won a 50/50 ball at midfield and slotted it home. The Falcons would run out of steam, however, when the Dragons scored back-to-back goals inside a minute to close out the first game.

Game 2 was a dominant performance by Drexel, which pressured the Falcons all over the field, forcing turnovers in the midfield and keeping Lackawanna College on the defensive for most of the second game. Drexel got six goals in the frame, including three in the final 90 seconds to really extend the lead.

The third game was predictably tense, as the Falcons fought through early adversity once again. After a Drexel goal just eleven seconds in, Lackawanna College dug deep and found a pair of goals, the first coming at 3:08 to tie things up when Bozi found the net. The second goal came at 2:13, when Jaepster gave Lackwaanna College its first lead of the evening.

The Dragons had an answer, as they equalized with 90 seconds to play, then found the game-winner with 0:34 on the clock to seal the win.

The Falcons are now 1-2 on the year, and are scheduled to be back in action next Monday, 9/20 at 7:00pm ET for their next NACE Rocket League matchup versus Rowan University. Stay tuned to the Lackawanna College Esports Facebook and Twitter for more scheduling updates, and where and when to watch their livestreams.