Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College men's soccer team's rally came up short as the Soaring Eagles surrendered a late goal in the second half, resulting in a 2-1 loss to visiting Utica College.  With the loss, Elmira drops to 0-7-1 and 0-2-0 in the Empire 8 Conference while the Pioneers of Utica improves to 4-3-2 and 2-0-0 in conference play.
 
Utica took a 1-0 lead at the 19:20 mark of the first half.  The scoring play was setup on a ball sent over top of the defense to Bita Gazashvili, who looked to be just onside.  Gazashvili fired a shot at close range at Elmira keeper Jordan Dougherty '16, who would deflect the shot, but Raine Owens followed up the shot and scored the game's first goal. 
 
20 minutes would go by before Elmira evened the game at one apiece on a goal by Victor Rosas-Granda '18.  Rosas-Granda received a pass from Austin Mansell '16, and would send a powerful low shot on frame.  His shot would be stopped initially by Utica's goalkeeper, David Abdou, but the pace of Rosas-Granda's proved to be too much as Abdou mishandled the ball, allowing it to trickle in the back of the net for a score. 
 
The game remained tied at 1-1 for the majority of the game until the Pioneers broke through in the 81st minute.  Dougherty had no chance at making a game-winning save as Utica's Owens scored his second goal of the game on a one-time shot from 13 yards out. 
 
It looked as though Elmira's fortunes were going to turn around in the final 30 seconds of today's game when a low cross looked like it deflected off a Pioneer defender's hand inside the box.  Unfortunately for Elmira, no call would be made and time would eventually expire, resulting in a 2-1 loss. 
 
Dougherty made nine saves in today's loss, giving the third-year netminder 44 saves on the season.
 
The Soaring Eagles will look to bounce back this Wednesday, October 1st when the EC men travel to Alfred, NY to take on Alfred State at 6:00 p.m. for a non-conference game.