MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry's men's soccer team fell to the Lions of Saint Leo Saturday night in conference play.
The Bucs (6-1-0, 1-1-0 SSC) got off to a quick start in the match with an early goal from Hanno Antoni. Antoni scored off a rebound from the saved penalty kick taken by teammate, Thomas Coombes, to take the 1-0 lead.
In the 20th minute, Saint Leo (2-3-0, 1-3-0 SSC) responded with a goal from Brandon Rivera to knot the match. Rivera was found unmarked in the box with a pass from Marcelo Casas who was played through with a back-heeled pass from Teddy Auyoma. Rivera took a touch forward and placed the ball by Barry keeper, Michael Scheraldi, and into the back of the net.
The first half ended 1-1, and Saint Leo had the 9-7 edge in shots over the Bucs.
The Lions started the second half like the Bucs had done in the first, with an early goal to take the lead. Auyoma of Saint Leo, scored in the 48th minute to make it 2-1 in favor of the Lions. The ball was crossed into the Buccaneer's defensive box, where it was ping ponged around, and Auyoma got that last touch on it to pound it into the goal.
Less than three minutes later, Casas added to the lead for the Lions as a result of bad defending from the Bucs. Casas was able to dribble the ball into the 18 yard box, and draw Scheraldi out of the net, where he beat him to the right side and kicked the ball on target, and with the help of the slick grass, trickled into the net before the Barry defenders could save it.
Alex Doyle tried giving the Bucs a second wind in the 55th minute, after trimming the lead to 3-2 when he scored off of a header from a crossed pass from Frank Lustig. This was Doyle's first goal of the season.
Saint Leo secured their first conference win of the season with a goal in the 79th minute from Casas. The ball was driven from Saint Leo's defensive end and into the middle of the field, where Casas and Leo Awokang fought for possession of the ball, and ultimately Casas gained possession and won the one-on-one with the keeper to finish the game 4-2.
Conor McElhinney came away with the win for the Lions, after he saved five of the 13 shots taken by the Bucs. Scheraldi took his first loss of the season, after he made five saves for Barry, off of the 15 shots taken from the Lions.
The Bucs hit the road to continue conference play as they take on Florida Southern Saturday Oct. 1st at 7 p.m.
