Worcester, Mass. – The short-handed Le Moyne College men's soccer team suffered a 2-0 defeat in the final game of their 2022 regular season schedule, but the team officially qualified for the Northeast-10 Conference Championships and will be back in action this weekend for some postseason action.

On Tuesday evening in Massachusetts, Le Moyne conceded two second-half goals and lost to Assumption University by a score of 2-0.

After Bentley and Saint Michael's both lost today, Le Moyne claimed possession of seventh place in the conference standings. The Dolphins will match up with second place Southern Connecticut State University in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championships on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

Under the leadership of head coach Tom Bonus, the Le Moyne College men's soccer team has now qualified for 21 consecutive NE10 Conference postseason tournaments, which is the second-longest active streak in the conference. 

Along with the absences of Max Buesch (Odenthal, Germany/Gymnasium Odenthal/Bethany Lutheran) and Benedict Klimmek (Kiel, Germany/RBZ am Schützenpark), who have both missed multiple games now due to injury, the 'Phins were playing without Michael Lantry (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill/Syracuse/DePaul), who suffered an injury during the Saint Anselm game, and leading scorer Cameron Stuart (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley), who received a red card during the Saint Anselm game.

Le Moyne graduate goalkeeper Josh Mahr (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) recorded a season-high eight saves during the defeat.

The two sides battled two a 0-0 draw after 45 minutes, and then an impressive long-distance shot from Johannes Sundgot broke the tie soon after the second-half restart.

In the 9^th minute, Assumption's Vegard Pernes received a pass inside the right side of Le Moyne's penalty area and took an open one-touch shot with his right foot about 10 yards away from goal. The shot was low towards the near post, and Mahr came up with a big save to keep the game scoreless.

Le Moyne put the ball in the Assumption net during the 14^th minute when Noah Sperduto (Elmira, N.Y./Elmira) sent a pass from the top of the 18-yard box towards the edge of the six-yard box in front of the left post for Owen Bauer (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker/UNC Asheville). Bauer beat the Assumption goalkeeper with a left-footed shot, but he was ruled offside, and the goal was disallowed.

With just over 27 minutes remaining in the first half, Terence Crysler-Howard (Toronto, Ontario/Toronto Prep School) received a pass in the middle of the field, about 35 yards from the Assumption goal.

With open space in front of him, Crysler-Howard took a touch to set the ball up on his right foot, then ripped a shot that bounced towards the left post.

Assumption's Francisco Teixeira dove towards his right and had his goal covered, but the shot went wide of the left post and out of bounds for a goal kick.

Mahr recorded his best save of the first half in the 28^th minute.

A cross played into the Le Moyne penalty area was stopped by a Le Moyne defender, setting the ball up perfectly for Assumption's Grant Maurer, who ran onto it and took a free shot from the edge of the six-yard box. The ball was hit hard, but Mahr was able to block it, then the graduate goalkeeper kicked away the weaker rebound shot attempt from Matthew Dion, and finally Ben Quigley (Perth, Scotland/Community School of Auchterarder/University of Stirling) headed the ball away to end the threat.

With 10 minutes remaining in the first half Jack Goodrich (Kelsall, England/King's School Chester) got the ball on the left side of Le Moyne's attacking third with some space in front of him. The left back took a touch up field then about 27 yards from goal he unleashed a shot with his left foot that was heading for the top left corner of the net if not for a great leaping save from Teixeira, who knocked the ball away from his goal and out of bounds for a corner kick.

The Greyhounds took a 1-0 lead in the 51^st minute when Johannes Sundgot scored on a shot from distance with his left foot.

Bryant Perdomo (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) got in behind the Assumption defense in the 66^th minute, but Teixeira came off his line and blocked the shot attempt.

The ball was cleared away and Le Moyne received a throw in on the left sideline. The ball was thrown to Gibran Catano-Matip (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley), who got around his defender on the left wing then knocked the ball to David Bosak (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus/Onondaga C.C.) inside the left side of Assumption's penalty area.

Bosak quickly sent a pass to Michael Sparkes (Glasgow, Scotland/St. Ninian's) at the top of the spot, and Sparkes hit a one-time shot with his right foot just before an Assumption defender could get to him.

Sparkes' shot was hit well and aimed for the top right corner of the net, but Teixeira dove to his left and came up with another great save to deny the sophomore forward.

The Greyhounds went up 2-0 with just under 13 minutes remaining in the second half.

Following the loss, Le Moyne finishes their regular season schedule with a 6-5-5 record, including a 3-4-4 NE10 resume.