Home Opener Goes Sour for Men's Soccer, 2-1 to Rutgers

Monday, September 2

Vidas Field

6 p.m.

Drexel University

0-2-0

Rutgers

2-0-0

Rutgers

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio/Sideline Photos

Home Opener Goes Sour for Men's Soccer, 2-1 to Rutgers

9/2/2019 9:09:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – The home opener for the Drexel men's soccer team began according to script, but did not end that way as the Dragons could not hang on to an early 1-0 lead and fell to Rutgers on Monday evening, 2-1. Chris Donovan scored less than 14 minutes into the action, but a pair of second-half goals for the Scarlet Knights beginning with a penalty conversion to tie things up proved to be enough.

Donovan's second goal of the young season came off a feed from Patrick Murphy, the first assist of the junior's Drexel career. Murphy sent a ball into the box towards the right post where Donovan was cutting in past his defender. The sophomore got a toe on it and sent a low ball to the back post, getting Rutgers keeper Oren Asher off balance for the game's first goal just 13:50 into the action.

The Dragons dominated possession in the first half, but Rutgers' defense largely stayed strong, allowing just three shots in total and no more on goal in the period. The Scarlet Knights managed just one, but momentum shifted in the second half when they drew a penalty in the box, earning a PK that Jorgen Wisth Lie converted in the 60th minute, his second PK conversion of the year.

From there, Rutgers seemed to take charge. The Scarlet Knights outshot Drexel 7-4 in the second half, and though Stephen Kopsachilis made a pair of saves, he could not stop Jackson Temple's go-ahead goal in the 77th minute as he benefited from a failed effort to clear the ball out of the box by the Dragons. A slide tackle led to a loose ball in the box that found its way to Temple for a high chip over Kopsachilis. The Dragons could not muster a significant challenge down the stretch as Rutgers held on.

The Dragons will now have four days off before their next outing, also at Vidas Field. This one will open up Colonial Athletic Association action as Drexel hosts Northeastern on Saturday evening at 6 p.m.