84th-minute goal by Colgate leads to third loss

The good news for the men's soccer team is that all its games this season have been close and hard-fought, thanks to a consistently solid defensive effort. The bad news is that a stagnant offense has left the Tigers (0-3 overall) with three consecutive losses to start the season.

The most recent defeat came Friday night at Powers Field at Princeton Stadium, as the Tigers lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to Colgate (3-2). Unlike its two previous losses, however, Princeton dominated both the ball and the pace of the game against the Raiders before ultimately falling short.

"We had a great performance on the field," senior forward Kyle McHugh said. "It was one of the first times since I've been here that we've dominated that way."

The Tigers, though, still have not scored an offensive goal. Their lone score of the season came on an own goal by Loyola on Aug. 31.

"This game was kind of the story of our team," McHugh said. "We play well at times, but we need to finish it off. We need to make it a priority to win games, especially with Ivy League games rolling around."

With the Tigers and Raiders both scoreless in the 84th minute, Colgate forward Matt Leach scored what proved to be the game's only goal. After stealing the ball from a Princeton defender 30 yards away from the Tiger goal, Leach put a low shot past junior goalie Joe Walter.

"That goal didn't need to happen," Walter said. "I probably could have made the save, but it just got past me."

Despite the go-ahead goal, the Tigers did not fold, pressuring the Colgate defense until the final whistle. Princeton's best opportunity to tie the game came when the Tigers drew a Colgate foul with 30 seconds remaining in regulation. On the free kick attempt, however, McHugh's shot sailed just over the crossbar, ending the Tigers' hopes.

"The free kick was pretty disappointing," McHugh said. "As an older guy on the team, I need to take responsibility, and part of that is getting goals."

Aside from the game's 84th minute, the Tigers controlled virtually the entire contest. Princeton outshot Colgate 15-5 in the game, including 9-2 in the first half. The Tigers also dominated on corner kicks, posting 11 to the Raiders' two. In spite of the statistical imbalance, however, Princeton was unable to convert on any of its chances.

Though bad luck certainly contributed to the Tigers' loss, Colgate goalie David Cappuccio played a larger role. Of Princeton's 15 shots, only five were on goal, and he saved all of them.

His most notable save of the evening came on a diving stab at the shot of junior midfielder Matt Care in the 10th minute.

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Fellow junior midfielder Brad Fechter had a chance of his own on the rebound, but his shot slid wide, leaving the Tigers without a goal.

Senior defender Matt Kontos and freshman midfielder Tim Sedwitz also had scoring opportunities, each putting a corner kick on net. Capuccio, however, managed to punch both shots away, leaving the score knotted at zero.

Freshman forward Brandon Busch was behind another pair of Princeton pushes for the lead. Early in the second half, Busch took a shot that sailed wide right before seeing another attempt blocked later in the half.

Both Busch and McHugh took three shots apiece, though none were on goal. Kontos and sophomore forward Max Hare each took two shots, while Care, Sedwitz, Fechter, senior defense Dan Cummins and sophomore midfielder Devin Muntz added one apiece.

"I was much happier with Friday night's game than the previous two," Walter said. "We had some offensive power going, unlike the two previous games, when we put too much pressure on the defense."

For the first time in the young season, though, the Tigers were plagued by foul trouble, recording 16 fouls for the game, including 10 in the second half.

Still looking for its first win of the season, Princeton will travel to South Orange, N.J., on Monday night to face Seton Hall.

"We usually play pretty good against Seton Hall," Walter said. "We know how to play them, and they're often not very good in the back, but they have some dangerous players. The main thing, though, is that going 0-4 to start the season is completely unacceptable."