Lehigh men’s soccer falls to Lafayette in penalty-kick shootout

In front of 2,075 fans and under a late-night downpour, No. 2 Lehigh men’s soccer fell to No. 6 Lafayette after a penalty-kick shootout following a 1-1 draw at Ulrich Sports Complex. 

Lehigh completed their season with a record of 9-5-6 (5-1-3 Patriot League) and Lafayette finished 8-6-7 (3-2-4 Patriot League).

With the win, the Leopards secured a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Cow bells and stomping erupted from the stands, while tension hung in the air and set the tone for the rivalry match. Throughout the night, cheers and chirps ricocheted between fan sections, and Lafayette supporters eventually stormed the field following the victory.

Coach Dean Koski, in his 33rd season as the head coach, said he feels empathy for the seniors on the team who just played in their last game. 

“I wouldn’t have changed our lineup,” Koski said. “I wouldn’t have changed our subs, I wouldn’t have changed our tactics. We played the way that we wanted to play. I’m sure they played the way they wanted to play. So I wouldn’t change anything and it just says the sport of soccer is a tough sport.”

The Leopards opened aggressively, drawing three Lehigh fouls in the first seven minutes.

Lehigh junior defender Trey Sheeler fouled Lafayette’s Beaux Lizewski outside of the box, resulting in a free kick fifteen minutes into the half. The Leopards’ midfielder Samir Dishnica then took the kick, hitting off target and going out of bounds.

26 minutes into the first half, Lafayette’s Riley Martin dribbled up the sideline to pass to Oliver Gordon, who shot on goal but missed high off the crossbar. 

Lehigh created its own opportunities with senior midfielder Yusef Gueye taking a shot on goal that was blocked, while junior defender Jax Adkins’ corner in the 42nd minute drifted out of play. 

The half ended scoreless, as neither side were able to separate through the mutual blows. 

Senior defender Sam Davis said during halftime they were all focused. He said the team felt like they had chances in the first half and in the second half, they could actually capitalize on the moment and make something happen. 

Davis was right. 

To start the second half, Lehigh took the kickoff, immediately crossing the ball to the Leopards’ defending half. 

Two minutes in, a six header sequence ended with the ball at Lehigh senior midfielder Jason Pynadath’s foot. Pynadath crossed the ball into the box, where sophomore midfielder Aiden Gonzalez surged ahead and scored a header.

As the Mountain Hawks pulled ahead 1-0, the crowd exploded in cheers.

Following the goal, Lehigh senior defender Matthew Aitchison fouled Martin while trying to gain possession of the ball. Dishnica took the free kick that went right of the goal.  

10 minutes into the half, Zizza looked to the net, sending a shot that was met with the gloves of Lafayette senior goalkeeper Eric Axtman.

A throw-in by Lafayette allowed Gordon to aim a header towards Lehigh sophomore goalkeeper Anton Kinnunen, who saved it, his first of the evening. 

Lafayette’s Cade Maglione took a shot that was blocked by Kinnunen. Seconds later, Dishnica attempted again with a shot on goal and missed high 76 minutes into the game.

Physicality picked up yet again late in the game, with each team having 10 fouls. With six minutes remaining, Lafayette was desperate to score.

Lehigh senior midfielder and captain Noah Levy fouled Dishnica in the top left of the box. With his free kick, he shot high of the goal, keeping the score at 1-0.

With only three minutes remaining, Kinnuen cleared three ricochets in the box, but Lafayette’s Jackson Vajda put the ball past his hands and in the back of the net, tying the game 1-1. 

At the end of regular play, the score remained neutral with no end in sight. With that, overtime allowed for two 10-minute periods with the first goal closing out the game. 

With light rain now turning into a downpour, overtime began, and Lehigh received the kickoff. 

The initial attempt on goal was five minutes in, as the Leopards’ midfielder Maglione shot high of the net. 

The first overtime period ended scoreless. Lafayette started the second overtime period with the kickoff.

In the 103rd minute, Zizza looked to end the game with a shot on goal. Axtman dove on the ground to save it and kept Lafayette’s chances alive. 

Maglione, now looking to capitalize for the Leopards, shot high and missed on Lehigh’s goal with 5 minutes left. 

Overtime ended scoreless yet again.

Koski said, while the competition is important, he has learned throughout his many seasons that soccer is just a game. 

“We can’t let the rivalry consume us and I don’t think we did,” Koski said. “I think we just played soccer for the love of wanting to play.”

The game came to a head in a penalty-kick shootout, where Lafayette and Lehigh both picked five players to take the shots. 

Players from either side held each other tight, waiting in anticipation for the round to begin, as every fan in the crowd held their breaths.

Lafayette’s Dishnica sent the first kick soaring past Kinnunen’s hands, securing the Leopards’ first point. 

Zizza was the first player for Lehigh, but Axtman blocked his shot with ease.

Lafayette’s Joseph Lee scored the second point for the Leopards, as Kinnunen dived once more and couldn’t connect with the ball. 

Sophomore forward Bora Turker followed suit and scored the lone penalty goal for the Mountain Hawks.

Martin took the third kick for the Leopards, and sidestepped to try and confuse Kinnunen, sending the ball into the back of the net.

In the final attempt to stay alive during the shootout, Sheeler took the next kick for Lehigh, as Lafayette fans were already climbing the chainlinks on the sidelines.

Axtman blocked Sheeler’s shot and Lafayette erupted, with fans jumping the fences on all sides of the field, storming towards their team that just won the 2025 Patriot League Championship.

Multiple players from Lehigh buried their faces in their jerseys, hugging one another while they cried and came to the realization that their season has finally come to an end.

When reflecting on the game, Davis said the outcome of soccer and life reflected what happened tonight – crazy. He said that the Leopards’ goal late in the second half was the craziest goal he had ever seen. 

With that, Davis looked off into the distance, reflecting on his time spent with this year’s team with tears in his eyes.

“Those are my brothers,” Davis said. “To the seniors on the team, this was it for us. They know I love them and I would die for them, and we all gave it our all, so we’re sorry to come up short to them.”

Davis said he wants the underclassmen to use this game as motivation and experience as fuel in the rest of their careers.

This marked the fifth time Lehigh and Lafayette met in the Patriot League Championship, and the first No. 6 seed to clinch the victory since 2017.

Lehigh finished their season 9-5-5 overall and 5-1-3 in Patriot League Play. Earlier this season, the Mountain Hawks tied Lafayette 1-1 on Nov. 1. Their last Patriot League Championship came in 2019, when they defeated the Leopards 1-0.