Box Score 9/5/23
 
AUBURN, NY -- A late goal in the second half proved to be the difference, as the Spartans of Cayuga CC outlasted Lackawanna College men's soccer 2-1 on Tuesday evening at Falcon Park in New York State. 
 
The Falcons (1-1-0) fell behind in the 17^th minute, after a foul just outside of the box set up the host Spartans (3-0-0) at the top of the box. The subsequent free kick curled around the Lackawanna wall and rippled the net in the bottom left corner, giving Cayuga the early advantage.
 
The Falcons equalized a little over ten minutes later, in the 31^st minute, after a foul well outside the box on the right side gifted the Falcons a dead ball opportunity. That's when Kevin Taipe (Sophomore; Lima, Peru) looped a free kick over the Spartans' wall and beat the keeper, capping what had been a solid 15 minutes of pressure from Lackawanna College.
 
Nether team could find the breakthrough before the end of the half, and the second half was more of the same. Cayuga had the Falcons pinned back with lots of possession, and Lackawanna couldn't take advantage of its few breakouts.
 
Finally, in the 72^nd minute, Cayuga found an opening. A Falcon attack fizzled when a back pass to the middle was intercepted by the Cayuga defense. The Spartans quickly hoofed the ball upfield, going over the top of the Falcon defense and getting their striker a one-on-one with the keeper. A hard strike to the right side of the goal put the Spartans in front, 2-1, and left the Falcons scrambling for an equalizer over the final 20 minutes.
 
Lackawanna College will look to bounce back when the Falcons host fellow Region 19 opponent Harcum College in its home opener on Saturday, September 9^th, at 2:00pm ET at Schautz Stadium in Dunmore, PA.