Men's Soccer Handed First Loss, 3-0 By JMU

Saturday, September 15

Vidas Field

4 p.m.

Drexel University

4-1-1 (0-1-0)

James Madison

3-2-1 (1-0-0)

JMU

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

9/15/2018 6:26:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – The Drexel men's soccer team suffered its first loss of the season on Saturday afternoon as the Dragons fell to James Madison in the Colonial Athletic Association opener for both teams, 3-0. The Dragons were outshot 16-8 overall and could not recover from a quick start by the Dukes that resulted in a goal just over six minutes into the game.

The Dukes' goal ended a scoreless streak of 244:13 for Drexel freshman goalkeeper Stephen Kopsachilis, who had put together shutouts in his last two starts. The Dragons (4-1-1) had no response early, being outshot 10-3 in the opening 45 minutes.

Drexel came out stronger in the second half, though Mathias Ebbesen remained the only Dragon able to generate any significant pressure on the Dukes' defensive end. Ebbesen finished with four of the Dragons' eight shots, including one of their four attempts that tested JMU keeper TJ Bush.

Aaron Ward-Baptiste, who scored the first goal for James Madison on a header on one of the Dukes' 11 corner kicks, also netted the second as JMU withstood Drexel's early second-half pressure to make it a 2-0 game in the 64th minute. Also a header, this one nicked off the crossbar and took an unlucky bounce for the Dragons, continuing forward and into the goal.

James Madison added a third goal in the 75th minute when Carson Jeffris' rip from 30 yards out could not be handled by Kopsachilis, who had a personal-high nine saves in the losing effort.

The Dragons will not have long to dwell on the negatives from Saturday's game, as they will be right back in action on Tuesday night at Vidas Field. They take on Bucknell at 6 p.m. in the third of four straight games at home.