9/7/24
 
DUNMORE, Pa. – The task was always going to be tall for Lackawanna men's soccer against Monroe Community College, and for the first 70 minutes, the Falcons were hanging tough, but the Tribunes eventually pushed through for a 4-1 victory, spoiling the 2024 season-opener at Schautz Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
The game itself was delayed, thanks to the deluge of rain expected through the early parts of the morning and afternoon, but eventually got going once the rain began to subside. The Falcons (0-1-0) gave up a free kick goal in the 15^th minute but withstood the relentless pressure from the Tribunes (4-1-0) through most of the contest. Aldo Vargas (Scranton, PA) was under constant heat, but finished with 15 saves, eleven in the second half alone.
 
As the second wore on, the Falcons were eventually broken down by the subs from Monroe. A run down the middle in the 70^th minute resulted in a goal that made it 2-0, and a third came 14 minutes later on a broken play in front of Vargas resulted in the fifth goal of the season for Sora Kozaki from the Tribunes.
 
Lackawanna eventually got itself going in the 85^th minute. Tyler Pepsin (Old Forge, PA) made a run down the left side, darted to his right just past midfield, and slotted a pass to a streaking Sebastian Carmona (Scranton, PA) down the center. Carmona sprinted to beat the defenders back, and then beat the keeper with a strike to the left-side of the netting that made it 3-1 and got the Falcons on the board for 2024.
 
Monroe added an 89^th minute goal, as the game started to get stretched. In all, Monroe had 35 shots, 19 on target, while the Falcons managed just five shots, two on frame. The Tribunes had six corners, dominating possession, and the Falcons had the 15 saves from Vargas.
 
Lackawanna College has a week off before getting back to action on Saturday, September 14^th, when the Falcons travel to Newark to take on the Essex County College Wolverines. Kickoff is set for 1:00pm ET and will be the Region XIX opener for Lackawanna.