Firebirds Unable to Overcome Man-Down Situation, Fall 2-1 at LIU Post

BROOKVILLE, NY – The University of the District of Columbia men's soccer team was defeated, 2-1 by East Coast Conference foe, LIU Post, on Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Soccer Park.

With the score knotted, 1-1, as the clocked surpassed the 67-minute mark, a red card assessed to UDC freshman defender Jake Bedforth for an intentional foul as the last line of defense resulted in the visiting Firebirds having to play a man down for the remainder of the game.

LIU Post eventually took advantage as Luke Ostermann registered his 2^nd goal of the day in the 76^th minute to put the Pioneers ahead to stay, 2-1.

UDC had its two-game win streak snapped with today's loss as it fell to 4-6-1 overall and 2-3 in league play. LIU Post won its third straight game to improve to 8-2 overall and 4-1 in the ECC.

Senior forward Raphael Pacano scored his 3^rd goal in as many games to open the scoring for the day and give the Firebirds an early, 1-0 advantage right around the 21-minute mark. He headed in a cross from the right side of the field from junior forward Malik Thom.

About nine minutes later, LIU Post answered with a Ostermann's first of two goals on the day – a header off a corner by Javier Rehberger Martin. The two ECC rivals, who met in last year's ECC Championship and the NCAA Tournament 2^nd Round, would head into halftime tied, 1-1.

In the 2^nd half, around the 66-minute mark, UDC had an opportunity to regain the advantage with a free kick by senior All-American midfielder Gabriel Torres from about 20 yards out in the middle of the field. Torres lifted his shot high though, and the Pioneers immediately went back on attack.

That ensuing offensive by LIU Post resulted in the foul and red card being assessed to Bedforth, forcing UDC to play a man-down for the final 23 minutes of regulation.

Just past the 75-minute mark, Luke Kasulke sent a cross into the box, and Ostermann was able to chest it down and fire a shot past UDC goalkeeper Milton Diaz for the go-ahead goal – his 13^th of the season.

The Firebirds, though they out-shot the Pioneers, 7-5 in the 2^nd half, were unable to even fire a shot after surrendering the go-ahead goal, and LIU Post clung to its 2-1 advantage until the final whistle.

Next up, UDC will visit the No. 5 ranked team in the nation and reigning NCAA Division II champion, University of Charleston (WV) on Wed., Oct. 10 at 4 p.m.