The College of Staten Island men’s soccer team saw their four-game unbeaten streak snapped this evening, falling to The College of New Jersey by a 3-1 score as part of non-conference action in Ewing, NJ.  The Lions lifted their overall record to 6-5-1 overall, while the Dolphins fell to 6-4-2.

Resting a couple of days between conference matches, the Dolphins used the game primarily to work in various players as both teams shuffled their lineups going in.  Still, it was a game dominated by TCNJ as they held possession most of the way and dictated play.  In the game’s first half, the Lions sprinkled the Dolphins net with shots and carried play into the Dolphins’ final third.  CSI senior keeper Antonio Lynch was busy, making four saves in the opening stanza on a total of 15 TCNJ shots.  

Despite the offensive onslaught, the Lions wouldn’t find the net until the 25th minute, when a Thomas Hogue shot beat Lynch up top after a long dribble in from the left side.  CSI was able to keep TCNJ off of the register heading into the second half, but the Dolphins needed offense to crawl back into the game.

The Dolphins got their answer in the second frame.  Being out-shot to that point 18-2, the Dolphins merited a corner kick 16 minutes into the second stanza.  Ali Fares took the corner, but the Lions defense seemed to clear until a turnover caught the foot of junior Adrian Cosovic, who drilled a shot from 15 yards out that beat TCNJ keeper Dan Walsh to make it 1-1.

The good vibes wouldn’t last long however, as just 49 seconds later TCNJ took the lead back when after a mad scramble in the CSI box, Nick Costellone found a loose ball and fired into an open right side to give the lead back to the Lions.

The score held until 18 minutes remaining when Nick Sample tallied an insurance marker into the right side to stake TCNJ to the 3-1 edge.  From there, the Lions clamped up defensive and allowed only a single shot.  

TCNJ led the final shot tally, 33-5 (12-3 on goal) and held a modest 4-1 edge in corners.  CSI’s Lynch made 9 saves in the loss, while Walsh earned the three-save win.

CSI will be back in action on Wednesday, hosting Hunter College at 4pm at the CSI Soccer Complex.