MEN'S SOCCER RUNS INTO HOT KEEPER IN 2-1 LOSS TO LAFAYETTE

AMBLER, PA -- Temple freshman forward Ben Marucci opened the contest with his second goal of the season, but that was all senior goalkeeper Mike Tortora would allow as  Lafayette posted a 2-1 win over the host Owls at Ambler Field Tuesday afternoon.  Tortora faced 19 shots and made nine saves, including two point blank blasts by TU leading scorer Tony Donatelli in the final 10 minutes to preserve the win.

"We had our opportunities early and it could easily have been 2-0 then, but to their credit the keeper played well.  He made some great saves" Temple coach David MacWillaims said.

The Owls tested Tortora early in the contest with Donatelli hitting the crossbar in the sixth minute. Junior Matt Maher fired one on goal a minute later with junior Ryan Heins having his attempt blocked by a defender in the goal mouth.  Then Marucci blasted one off a Maher pass from 30 yards out that found the top right corner of the net to put the Cherry and White in front, 1-0.

"I thought he (Marucci) had a great strike," MacWilliams said.  "TDon (Donatelli) also had some nice shots as did Matty Maher.  We looked to mix things up and change some things.  I thought they played well overall it was just a little lack of discipline defensively and it cost us."

After controlling play through the opening 10 minutes, the Leopards were able to even the match on a defensive breakdown.  Senior midfielder Buster Wiand hit Luke Sullivan in front of the net off a direct kick and the sophomore forward finished it for his first goal of the season in the 14^th minute.  It was Lafayette's first shot of the contest.

Temple continued to control the play on the offensive end, but Tortora, who owns a 1.20 goals against average, was up to the challenge. The Leopards game-winner came on another defensive letdown.  This time, freshman defender Corey Dempsey found senior midfielder Ryan McCaughey with a long ball down the right side.  McCaughey crossed it into the box for sophomore midfielder Scott Hawkins, who headed it past Temple keeper Tony Pratico (four saves) for his team-leading fifth goal.  That made the score 2-1 at the 33:17 mark.

The Owls continued to pepper Tortora, attempting five shots on goal in the scoreless second half.  Donatelli, who leads Temple with three goals, blasted a shot from the top left of the box in the 81^st minute that looked earmarked for the upper right corner of the goal.  Tortora made a leaping outstretched save to deny the Owls co-captain. 

Four minutes later Donatelli again found himself alone in the goal mouth, and again Tortora was up to the task, making a point blank stop in the right corner of the goal.

It was the best offensive effort of the season for the Owls, who fell to 2-7 on the season.  The 19 shots was a season high, and double their average entering play.  The team now takes a 10-day break before traveling to Saint Louis for its' Atlantic 10 Conference opener on October 7.

Lafayette improves to 5-3 on the season.

Temple University Athletics

MEN'S SOCCER RUNS INTO HOT KEEPER IN 2-1 LOSS TO LAFAYETTE

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