ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis men's soccer team dropped its final non-conference contest of the season to Roosevelt 2-0 on Wednesday evening at Don Dallas Field. The Tritons drop to 1-1 while the Lakers improve to 2-0-1.
UMSL dominated the first 40 minutes of play as it held most of the possession. The Tritons had the game's first scoring opportunity in the 14th minute as a foul in the box resulted in a penalty kick for UMSL.
Brady Freeman stepped to the spot and tried to beat Cedrik Strupler to the lower left corner but Strupler guessed right and made the save. However, he couldn't control it and the loose ball bounced back to Freeman but his putback attempt sailed over the bar.
The Tritons had another chance in the 27th minute but Strupler saved an attempt from
Gibson Hunt.
Roosevelt scored the first goal of the contest 1:25 before halftime off a corner kick. Alexsander Panduro took the corner kick and sent a low line drive into the box.
Lucas Ortiz couldn't grab it as it deflected in for the goal.
UMSL outshot the Lakers 8-3 in the opening 45 minutes including 2-1 in shots on goal.
The Tritons had two chances at the equalizer less than a minute apart early in the second half but both shots missed to the right.
The Lakers got an insurance goal in the 64th minute as Omar Yousaf found Fynn Mewes in the box. Mewes sent a shot over the head of Ortiz and under the bar for his third goal of the season.
Isaac Valverde nearly answered for UMSL four minutes later but his shot hit off the crossbar.
The Tritons had a few more chances late in the contest but couldn't put anything on frame.
UMSL finished the game outshooting Roosevelt 15-10 but the Lakers had the edge in shots on goal 4-2 and in corner kicks 7-6.
The Tritons are back in action on Saturday (Sept. 5) as they head down to Bolivar, Mo., to take on Southwest Baptist in the conference opener for both squads at noon at the SBU Soccer Field.
