MEN’S SOCCER

The Forester men’s soccer team handed Lourdes a 1-0 loss Saturday night under the lights at Wildcat Stadium. It’s Huntington’s second consecutive win over the Gray Wolves with last fall’s victory a 2-1 decision.

From opening whistle, it was clear the two teams were evenly matched, with possession and scoring opportunities oscillating back and forth. Both teams finished with three shots on goal with HU owning a slight advantage in shots taken, 10-9. Corner kicks, on the other hand, favored the hosts 7-2.

The decisive moment of the night came in the 32nd minute when, after a scramble for the ball at midfield favored HU, Dilesh Patel slipped a pass to Sam Dolobaipu who slotted the keeper for the game winner. The goal was the rookie’s fourth of the season.

Despite the Gray Wolves’ best efforts in the remaining minutes, their equalizer never came to be as Huntington’s defense stood firm which included Luis Costa making an incredible save with three minutes remaining to preserve the shutout. Costa finished with three saves.

“This was a great win on the road and our first clean sheet against a very good Lourdes side,” said Coach Russ Lawson. “I love the response from the boys tonight!”

After a five-game homestand to start the season, today’s match is the second of five straight outings on the road. HU’s record stands at 3-1-3. Next up is a quick trip to Fort Wayne on Wednesday for a 7:00 p.m. match with an Indiana Tech squad that was ranked 19th in the NAIA preseason poll.