Men’s Soccer: UVM Drops Home Opener to Iona

Courtesy Vermont Sports Information

BURLINGTON –– The UVM men’s soccer team suffered a 3-1 decision at the hands of Iona on Friday night in the home opener. The Catamounts slip to 1-2-0 on the year while the Gaels even their record at 1-1-0.

COACH’S QUOTE
“It’s obvious we are still establishing chemistry within the group but most of all, we haven’t learned to compete consistently at this level yet,” head coach Rob Dow said. “We’re moving onto Quinnipiac.”

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Gaels grabbed their first lead of the night in the 26th minute. Josh Plimpton gathered a loose ball and lined a cross into the top left corner of the box for Romero Najim. Najim marched in from the left side and fired low line drive past diving UVM keeper Aron Runarsson.
Vermont answered in the 33rd minute with Lucas Shaw’s first collegiate goal. On a corner kick from Frosti Brynjólfsson, Rasmus Tobinski tried to knock a header inside of the near post but was denied at point-blank range by Iona goalie Giuliano Santucci (6 saves). On the rebound, Shaw was in position to tap in the equalizer.
Iona answered 44 seconds later with an unassisted goal from Eimantas Lotuzys. UVM’s defense attempted to clear the ball out of the box but Lotuzys came down with the ball and drove the go-ahead score into the left side of the net.
The Gaels added the final goal of the contest in the 77th minute after Lenworth Lopez and Lotuzys worked a give-and-go. Lopez dribbled the ball towards the middle of the box, dished a pass out to his right for Lotuzys, who returned the favor in front of the net for Lopez to finish with shot under the crossbar.

GAME NOTES
Tobinski led the team with three shots including two on goal.
Goalie Nate Silveria played 63 minutes in relief, his first as a Catamount, and made five saves.
In each game this season, a UVM player has scored their first career goal – Adrian Gahabka at Loyola Chicago, Tobinski at DePaul, and Shaw on Friday night.

WHO’S NEXT
Vermont will play its second straight MAAC opponent with a trip to Quinnipiac on Monday (Sept. 9). The opening kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Free live video can be seen on Quinnipiac All-Access.