ITHACA, N.Y. – The Fairleigh Dickinson men's soccer team surrendered an early goal and was limited on offense against a tough Cornell defense, dropping a matchup of two regionally ranked teams by a score of 1-0.
 
In a match featuring the second-ranked Knights and the third-ranked Big Red in the Northeast region, it was the Big Red (2-1) that opened the game with a quick score from Emeka Eneli. The Knights (3-2) solidified on defense the rest of the way, with junior Jahmali Waite setting a career high with 14 saves. FDU's attack, however, could not convert on the chances created after the opening goal.
 
"That was a hard fought game against a very strong opponent," head coach Seth Roland said after the match. "Cornell will challenge for the Ivy League title this year. They have a suffocating style of pressuring defensively  that makes it very difficult for a team to keep the ball. For sure, we need to continue to improve our possession game, but I'm proud of how hard we competed against a very physical opponent."

Senior Daniel Lasarte started the match pushing for a quick goal, with freshman Jared Dillon leading him out wide with a pass that opened up a shot opportunity. The senior then cleared the goalie with his ensuing shot, but the ball hit off the right post and rolled out of play.
 
The Big Red opened up with two quick shots as well, with Waite able to make a stop on the first attempt but not able to on the rebound opportunity, leading to an early 1-0 deficit for the Knights.
 
Waite gloved two more shots on goal in the first 10 minutes in helping stave off the Cornell attack further, and Lasarte later earned the Knights a free kick opportunity in the 13th minute. Junior Diego Arribas elected to take the kick, curling a ball from 25 yards out toward the net but right into the goalkeeper.
 
Cornell continued to push for another goal with three more shots on target, but Waite and the Knight defense kept the Big Red out of the net into halftime. FDU earned back-to-back corner kicks in the 34th minute and another in the final minute of the half, but the Knights only produced two shots that sailed high of the net.
 
Waite saved three more Cornell shots in the opening minutes of the latter half, including a diving stop to his right on a close-up shot in the box.

"Jahmali was absolutely fantastic tonight," Roland said. "It was as good a performance as you'd ever see from a goalkeeper at the collegiate level."

The Big Red also created a near break away opportunity early in the second half, but senior Wojciech Piwowarczyk was able to dive in front right as Cornell's Brandon Morales wound up for a shot to deflect the ball away.
 
FDU could not generate much on the attack until a set piece opportunity by Arribas in the 74th minute found Dillon's head, and the freshman flicked a shot on goal that was saved by the Cornell goalkeeper Ryan Shellow.
 
With Waite continuing to deny Cornell any further tallies, the Knights fought for more chances in their attacking third, but FDU's last chance shot from Anthony Herbert was saved as Cornell held on for the win.
 
"We went nose-to-nose with them and kept fighting and battling until the end to try and get the equalizer," Roland added. "I'm confident that this game, in the long run, will help make us a better team."

FDU returns home for its next two matches, taking on NJIT Tuesday night and then Princeton on Saturday, September 21. Both matches will start at 7 p.m., at University Stadium.