Aug. 29, 2003
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Three first-half goals by Temple were too much for the Cleveland State men's soccer team to overcome, as the Vikings dropped the season-opener to the Owls, 3-1, in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Friday in the opening game of the Duquesne Classic. Spencer Lappin found the back of the net in the second half, but the Vikings couldn't get any closer in the final 30 minutes.
Temple (1-0) outshot the Vikings (0-1) by a 14-3 margin in the first half, as CSU started five players who were playing their first game at the Division I level, including four true freshmen. The Vikings recovered at halftime, outshooting the Owls 7-3 in the second period, but the deficit was too great to overcome.
"A couple of the guys didn't come out ready for the intensity and the speed of the game at this level, as the first half clearly demonstrated," head coach Pete Curtis said. "In the second half, we increased our work rate and controlled the half, but we dug ourselves into a hole in that first half that no amount of effort could make up for."
Down 3-0 at halftime, Lappin scored at the 59:50 mark of the match, holding off a defender from a loose ball and beating Temple goalkeeper Sean Thompson to the ball and poking it in the back of the net.
"Spencer's presence caused Temple problems all day," Curtis said. "That goal was a result of their constantly chasing his physical presence in the box."
Nate Webb, Anthony Donatelli and Kevin Gallagher each scored on starting goalkeeper, Amir Kettani, who made seven saves on the day.
The Vikings will return to action on Saturday in the final game of the Duquesne Classic in Pittsburgh, Pa., when they will face the host Dukes. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m.
