LOUDONVILLE, NY – James Gibson scored twice – including the game-winning goal with just 4:22 remaining – to lift Lafayette over Siena Soccer 2-1 in the Saints’ home opener at Siena Turf Field. Matt Crisafulli scored for Siena which had its five-match unbeaten streak in home openers snapped.  

 

Greg Monroe made a season-high 10 saves for the Saints (0-2-2) who were out-shot 23-6 while suffering their first home-opening defeat since 2012. Lafayette (3-1) also held a 7-4 margin in corners while improving to a perfect 6-0 all-time in the series.

 

Gibson opened the scoring in the 16^th minute, finishing a give-and-go with Ryan Goncalves. The two would also connect for the decisive score, when Goncalves’ blast from the top of the 18 was red-directed in by Gibson.

 

Crisafulli leveled the score in the 64^th minute for Siena with his fourth career goal. Linus Johansson played a perfect ball thru to Crisafulli, who beat the hard-charging keeper in stride and finished inside the right post. Conor McGlynn set up the play and received a secondary assist on the goal, with his 12th career assist moving the junior into a six-way tie for eighth on the program's all-time chart.

 

Alex Sutton made a pair of saves for the Leopards.

 

The Saints continue the program’s longest homestand in 11 years when they host Stony Brook for the second of four consecutive home matches Saturday at 1 p.m.