Box Score GALLOWAY, N.J. – Although two first-year players recorded career milestones in a non-conference match at Stockton on Tuesday night, the Ursinus College men's soccer team saw an early lead disappear in a 3-1 setback.
Freshmen Noah Kilday and Alexis Ayala connected to give the Bears (2-8) the upper hand, Ayala tapping in a centering pass for his first career goal just 8:19 into the contest. The assist was the first collegiate point for Kilday, the seventh Ursinus player to accomplish that feat this season, and helped the Bears end a three-match scoreless drought.
Stockton (9-2-1), which received votes in the latest D3soccer.com poll and was ranked 18th last week, allowed the Bears little time to enjoy the lead, striking back just 54 seconds later off the foot of Christian Bik. The Ospreys took the lead in the 32nd minute on a marker by Darnell Lopez.
The home side began to impose its will in the second stanza. Holding a slim 6-5 edge in shots in the first 45 minutes, Stockton outshot Ursinus by a 12-2 margin after intermission. The Ospreys' persistence paid off in the 68th minute, when Dante Montesinos deposited a crossing pass to make it 3-1.
Freshman Braden Burns nearly sliced the deficit in half in the 82nd minute, but his shot following a corner kick was cleared off the line by the Stockton defense.
Stockton controlled sizeable advantages in shots (18-7) and corner kicks (9-3). Ayala and junior co-captain Derek Rudy paced Ursinus with two shots apiece.
Junior Brandon Lillian finished with four saves for the Bears in his eighth start of the season.
The men's soccer team takes on Franklin & Marshall at home Saturday.
