Oct. 6, 2001
CLEVELAND - After taking a lead into the locker room at halftime, the Cleveland State men's soccer team (2-9-0, 0-4-0 Horizon League) gave up three unanswered second half goals and lost 4-2 to Butler (3-6-0, 2-0-0 Horizon League) at Krenzler Field this afternoon in the second game of the ALL Crane Rental Classic Challenge Series.
The Vikings opened the scoring in the fifth minute when junior Matteo Zappa (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) knocked in his first career goal from just outside the penalty area. After the Butler defense was unable to clear the ball, Zappa stepped up and put it off the left goalpost and into the net.
Butler tied the match in the 32nd minute on a goal from Nick Pantazi, who held off a Viking defender, spun and put the ball past CSU senior goalkeeper James Kryger (St. Catherine, Ontario/Gov. Simcoe).
Joachim Walker (Bay Village, Ohio/Bay) put the Vikings back on top four minutes later. The junior striker snuck through the Bulldog defense and found the ball at his feet at the edge of the six-yard box. Walker took one dribble and slotted the ball past the helpless Butler keeper for his sixth tally of the season.
Butler tied the match again just three minutes into the second half. Pantazi scored his second goal of the match on a breakaway, dribbling past Kryger and beating him to his right. The Bulldogs scored twice more in the next 12 minutes, capitalizing on a pair of Cleveland State breakdowns.
The Vikings had a handful of chances to put the ball in the net in the second half, but came away empty each time. Walker missed a penalty kick wide of the goal, and senior Cory Pryor (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) knocked a shot off the crossbar.
Cleveland State looks for their third victory of the season when they host No. 15 Ohio State on Wednesday (Oct. 10) at 7 p.m. They then welcome Illinois Chicago on Sunday (Oct. 14) at 2 p.m.
