Monmouth University Athletics

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Junior Jasen Bottini had a goal and an assist to lead the Monmouth University men's soccer team in a hard fought 4-2 loss to La Salle University on Sunday afternoon. 

The Explorers held a 17-16 edge in shots for the contest while Monmouth held a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks. 

Both teams took two shots a piece in the first 10 minutes of the contest. Sophomore Herman Johnsen had a big stop for the Hawks while Maximillian Retzer got a piece of sophomore Jessy Bichler's attempt to keep the match scoreless.

A foul in the box gave La Salle a penalty kick at the 14:58 mark and Alberto Esquivel Meza converted the opportunity for the 1-0 lead.

Another big stop from Johnsen at 18:42 kept the deficit at 1-0 for the Hawks. 

Monmouth looked like it had a shot at the equalizer at 29:21 as Bottini set up for a free kick just outside the box. However, Retzer was able to get hands on the ball and keep Monmouth off the board. 

A save by each goalkeeper in the waning minutes of the first half sent La Salle into the break with the 1-0 advantage. 
 

La Salle brought the offensive pressure to start the second half and scored three times in the first eight and a half minutes for the 4-0 advantage. That stretch included the second penalty kick goal of the game for the Explorers, this time off the foot of Kyrese Lynch-Bailey. 

Monmouth got on the board in the 61st minute as senior Raul Garcia scored his first goal of the season. Sophomore Tommy Damiano brought the ball through the midfield and found the feet of Bottini. Bottini took the ball deep into the offensive end, beat his defender and crossed it to Garcia in the box who buried it home.

The two teams continued to battle back and forth over the next several minutes.

The Hawks added to their total in the 77th minute as Bottini took a pass from Damiano and brought the ball up the near sideline before cutting through middle of the box and around several defenders for the goal.

Johnsen made one more save for the Hawks as La Salle closed out the 4-2 win.

Retzer finished with five saves in the win for the Explorers. Johnsen made five saves in the loss for the Hawks. Monmouth was also credited with a team save.

Bottini's goal was his second of the season for the Hawks while Garcia's was his first of the season and second of his Monmouth career. Damiano's assists gave him the first two points of his career. Damiano also registered his first start of his career. 

The Hawks are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 12 when they host Hofstra at 7 p.m.

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