LEWISBURG, Pa. – Fairleigh Dickinson men's soccer freshman Jared Dillon scored a game-winning goal in the 84th minute of his college debut to help his team earn a 2-1 victory at Bucknell to start the 2019 season.
 
The Knights (1-0) took the early lead on a goal by junior Diego Arribas and held that lead through most of the game. The Bison (0-1) answered with a tying goal in the second half, but Dillon later lined a curving shot over the outstretched Bison keeper into the right upper 90 to provide FDU the margin it needed for the win.

"What an exciting win on opening night in front of a feisty Bucknell crowd," head coach Seth Roland said after the game. "We could've folded when they tied us with 18 minutes to go, but instead we showed a lot of heart and character competing hard until Jared scored a fantastic goal in his Division I debut."
 
Knights junior goalkeeper Jahmali Waite saved four shots in his first win of the season. FDU also finished with a 12-9 advantage in shots taken, with seven of the 12 Knight tries on goal. Arribas, who led the Knights' 2019 returning players with eight points last year, netted his third career goal in the win.

"Great way to start the season with an away win against a solid Patriot League opponent," Roland continued. "I'm really proud of the guys. They put in a solid night's work and deserved the win."
 
Junior Nark Miranda fired the first FDU shot of the game almost eight minutes into action, but neither team could generate many scoring chances through the first 20 minutes. Arribas also ripped a line drive wide of the net in the 18th minute.
 
The 21st minute proved fruitful for the Knights, with Arribas receiving a crossing pass from Miranda and striking a grounder past the Bucknell keeper for his first goal of the season. The assist for Miranda represented the first point of his career.
 
The Knight defense then denied a Bison scoring chance on a play into the box in the 30th minute, and senior Daniel Lasarte countered with a nice move to split the Bucknell backline, driving a shot just wide of the left post.
 
Arribas had another scoring chance tipped out on a diving save by Bucknell keeper Emmett Wittmer in the 33rd minute. FDU led Bucknell in shots, 5-3, as both teams entered halftime with the Burgundy and Blue leading 1-0.
 
Miranda opened the second half for the Knights with a header opportunity in front of the goal, but the Bison keeper made the save. Lasarte later struck a right-footed shot from just outside the box on target but saved as well with 30 minutes left.
 
Waite was not tested with his first shot on goal until the 51st minute, making the save to keep the Knight lead at 1-0. The Knight defense continued to keep Bucknell from equalizing, and Arribas pushed for his second goal of the game with another hard shot that sailed high of the net.
 
Waite made another save in the 73rd minute to preserve the FDU lead, but the next Bison shot, however, from Eduardo Perez-Pelaez found the back of the net to tie the game.
 
FDU kept Bucknell off the board through the next ten minutes of play, with Waite stopping two more shots within a five-minute span. The Bison looked to push ahead on attack with seven minutes left, but Lasarte cut in front of a Bison pass and found Dillon upfield. The freshman then made a move to his right to evade a Bucknell defender before firing his shot that netted the game winner.
 
Dillon took another shot at scoring trying to add a second goal to his night a few minutes later, but the shot was saved. FDU did not allow Bucknell another scoring chance the rest of the way to solidify the opening victory.
 
Freshmen Ville Ahola along with junior Kaskile Zawadi joined Dillon in starting in their FDU debuts, and freshman Peter Kozlej also made his collegiate debut, playing 54 minutes off the bench. Zawadi along with fellow back line teammates Adrian Barajas, Anthony Herbert and Rocky Garretson as well as sophomore midfielder Fallou Tounkara played the full 90 minutes for the Knights.
 
FDU improved its all-time record against Bucknell to 8-2-1, having won each of the last two meetings. The Knights have now won two of their last three season openers.
 
The Burgundy and Blue will stay on the road for its next match, facing Lafayette on Tuesday, September 3, at 7 p.m.