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Princeton University Athletics
Loyola Holds On for 2-1 Victory over Princeton in Men's Soccer Season Opener
September 02, 2005 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 2, 2005
Box Score
In another Princeton-Loyola men's soccer game that featured precious few great scoring opportunities, the Greyhounds' Brian O'Connor took advantage of a late chance and sent his team home with a road victory.
O'Connor's right-footed shot from the top of the box snuck past Princeton's Bobby Guelich and into the lower right-hand corner of the net with just under 10 minutes left, giving Loyola a 2-1 victory over the Tigers in the season opener for both teams at Lourie-Love Field.
The Tigers had tied the game just more than a minute earlier when Adrian Melville scored, but O'Connor, who had just reentered the game prior to Princeton's goal, quickly changed that momentum.
"We were really playing well when we gave up that goal, which makes it unfortunate," said Princeton head coach Jim Barlow. "It took us a while to get going, but in the second half we did some nice things."
Princeton outshot the Greyhounds 7-3 in the second half after falling behind 1-0 at halftime, getting the equalizing goal with just under 11 minutes left in the game. Darren Spicer got behind the Loyola defense thanks to a long pass from the back, and his cross found Melville in front of the goal. The senior then knocked a left-footed shot past Greyhound goalie Justin Chelland to tie the game with 10:55 left.
"Melville is an opportunistic kid," Barlow said. "We put Zach (Schwarz) in for him for a while, but Adrian came back in and made something happen for us when we needed it." The Greyhounds took their 1-0 lead with seven minutes left in the first half thanks to fine plays by Gabe Ortega and Vinnie Piscopo. Ortega's long pass from the right midfield line found Piscopo on the left side of the box, and he then volleyed a left-footed shot into the net.
Princeton's best chance after falling behind 2-1 came with just under eight minutes left, but Alex Reison's header attempt on a corner-kick situation was wide right.
Spicer also had an excellent chance to tie the game at 1-1 early in the second half, but his long shot from the top of the box was deflected by Chelland just before it snuck underneath the crossbar.
The Tigers had nine corner kicks to just three for the Greyhounds and outshot Loyola 11-8. Both Chelland and Guelich had two saves.
The two teams played to four consecutive ties from 2000-2003 before one-goal decisions in 2004 (a 3-2 Princeton win) and this year. The Loyola win was its first over Princeton since the 1996 season.
Princeton plays at American next Friday.