Box Score

Despite two goals from freshman #Vitali Zaluha#, the Albright College men's soccer team fell short in a 3-2 thriller to Lebanon Valley, Tuesday at Shirk Stadium.

Down 2-0, Zaluha got Albright back into the game in the 57th minute, winning a header off Lamar Stewart's corner kick to pull his team back to within one.

In the 62nd minute, Albright gave the ball away at the back, but goalkeeper #Tim Compton# stopped Andrew Cooper and then smothered Andy Suprock's rebound at the doorstep.

Five minutes later, LVC scored a killer third goal on the counterattack, with Suprock sneaking free and slotting past Compton for a 3-1 lead.

The Lions rallied again though after just 76 seconds, as Tyler Waters worked his way into the box and was taken down. Zaluha took the penalty, beating the Lebanon Valley goalkeeper high.

Back to within a goal, Albright had momentum and nearly grabbed an equalizer on several occassions. Matt Davis and Zaluha combined to slot Waters through down the left win, but he hit his shot high from a tough angle. Senior Mark Yost hit a curling free kick late that ended up on net, with LVC's James Clements just managing to tip it over the bar. Stewart also had an open volley from 25 yards, putting a dipping shot just two feet over the net.

The Lions had started well, with Chris Tadley getting a foot on Stewart's corner exactly five minutes into the game, but his shot deflected off a defender and went wide.

Three minutes later, Zaluha cut inside from the left touchline and unleashed a 25-yard shot that just missed the upper left corner. Soon after, LVC took the lead on Kelly Hess' header.

Midway through the first half, Zaluha was brought down and took the free kick himself, hitting a screamer along the ground that Clements did well to hold. The Dutchmen countered immediately however, and Cooper's breakaway goal 25 seconds later doubled LVC's lead.

Suddenly down by two goals, the Lions did have chances late in the half. On a dangerous spot kick opportunity, Yost ripped a shot that was a foot high. Waters then got through on the left side but the ball was bouncing too much and his volley attempt spun off his foot, missing the near post.

Compton made a nice save right after halftime, as the big goalkeeper got down low to smother Kevin Doty's close-range shot after Cooper found him right in front of goal.

The Lions drop their sixth consecutive game and fall to 5-7, 0-3 on the season. They will travel to local rival Alvernia on Saturday.