Lopes Scores Game Winner To Lift Vassar

POUGHKEEPSIE – Freshman Kyle Lopes netted the game-winning goal at the 85th minute to give the Vassar men’s soccer team the 1-0 upset win over No. 22 Ithaca on Saturday afternoon. The Brewers have now won three straight and move to 8-6-1 overall and 5-2 in the Liberty League. The Bombers now drop to 11-3-2 overall and 4-2-1 in the conference.
With less than five minutes to play, Vassar threw in from the left side of the Bombers’ goal. The ball was crossed in front of the net and into one of the Ithaca defenders. Lopes picked up the deflection five –yards out in front of the net and fired the shot into the lower right corner.

Efforts were matched on both sides with shots being an even 5-5 in the first half. Ryan Lane had the first attempt on goal at 8:28, but goalkeeper Max Lichtenstein turned it away. Ithaca responded at the 18th minute, nearly slipping a shot in that bounced off the crossbar instead. A minute later, Ithaca’s Kevin Turi had an open shot with only goalkeeper Eric Wnorowski to beat. Turi kicked the hard shot, but Wnorowski was able to take the force and grab it in his chest.

With a scoreless half looming, the Bombers picked up their offense, taking two shots on goal in the final minutes. The Vassar defense held together and Wnorowski tallied two more saves.
In the second half, the Brewers outshot Ithaca 6-3, but it was the Bombers almost scoring first again. Max Barish chipped a shot over Wnorowski at 65:22. Luckily for the Brewers, freshman Nolan Alexander flew in from the right side and drove the ball out of bounds before it crossed over.

Lopes would score at 85:12 and the Brewers only allowed one shot and corner attempt following that.

Wnorowski finished the day with four saves and records his second shutout of the season. Lichtenstein had four saves for the Bombers.

Vassar closes the regular season with two road contests. First up is No. 4 RPI on Wed. Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. and then RIT on Sat. Nov. 2 at 2 p.m.