ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - Liberty League soccer is different. It's a physical grind, there isn't much space out there, and scoring opportunities are rare.
The Bard College men's soccer team had three good chances to score on Saturday in the Liberty League opener against Union, but converted none. Union had two good chances and converted one.
It ended in a 2-0 win for Union and a frustrating loss for the Raptors, who left the pitch feeling empty and dissatisfied.
Though the Dutchmen carried play early, it was Bard which produced the first great scoring chance of the match. After a run down the left side by
Nick Shenberger, his shot attempt was stuffed by a defender, and it squirted over to
Francesco Mastrocinque on the other side of the box. With the Union keeper out of position, Mastrocinque struck a quick, low shot that was cleared off the line by a Union defender. That was in the 23rd minute.
Union made the most of its first good chance to score in the 31st minute. Ethan Strauss (Delmar, NY) got loose along the left wing, and his cross found Salvador Lopez Jr. (Port Chester, NY) streaking diagonally across the box with a defender right on his hip. Though he struggled to settle the pass, he got it and bounced a shot off the far post and in just before Bard keeper
Taylor Bond could get there.
It was 1-0 at the half; Union outshot Bard 9-6 in the first 45 minutes.
Bard played with a spark to begin the second half and had a great chance to equalize in the 51st minute. Shenberger, again in the left wing, flicked a low pass into the box that found
Emlyn Ellerby a half-step ahead of a defender at full speed. His lefty shot from six yards went wide.
With Bard growing more desperate late, a foul in the box gave Union a penalty kick opportunity, and Andrew Fontaine (Cohasset, MA) put it away to make it 2-0.
Claudio Mastrocinque missed high with another good scoring chance in the waning moments, and Bard is 4-1-3 overall, 0-1 in the Liberty League.
Bond made three saves, and John Weitzman (Armonk, NY) made three saves for Union.
The Raptors head up North next weekend, playing at #5 St. Lawrence on Friday, then Clarkson on Saturday. Follow both games live right here.
