ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Despite an early lead in the fifth minute, the Elmira College men's soccer team couldn't hold on for a win on Wednesday afternoon at Campus Field, as the Soaring Eagles fell by a 2-1 final score against Keystone College.

The Soaring Eagles (2-2-1) struck first thanks to aggressive play by the front line. Looking to set up possession, the Giants (4-1-0) passed the ball back to Michael Nyarko, but EC's Adam Nichols '20 and Lutho Mlunguza '23 forced the Keystone center back into a turnover at the top of the 18-yard box, and Nichols finished the one-on-one opportunity against the keeper to pull ahead 1-0.

Elmira nearly doubled its lead with what appeared to be a great run down the left side on a set-piece, but the linesman on the near sideline ruled that a pair of Soaring Eagles were offside before Nichols tapped the ball passed the Keystone goalie.

The Purple and Gold nearly escaped the first half with the lead, but with 5.3 seconds left, Keystone's Carlos Bonilla recorded the equalizer. A cross into the box was headed by Leonardo Rodriguez to Bonilla on the right side, and the junior forward released a strong strike with his right foot into the back of the net just before the intermission.

Bonilla's brother, Sebastian, cashed in the game-winning tally in the 78th minute for the defending Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) champs. The one-goal lead stood for the remainder of regulation, as EC only generated one more shot before the final whistle.

In Their Own Words…
Head Coach Kevin Brenner on Wednesday's narrow loss against Keystone…
"We continue to challenge ourselves with another 2018 NCAA Tournament team today. I am proud of the players for battling for 90 minutes. I felt the game was even for the most part. Credit to Keystone for capitalizing on their chances late in the second half. We will reset the minds and bodies, and go again on Saturday."

News and Notes

• Elmira fell to 2-2-1 following Wednesday's loss to Keystone, which improved to 4-1-0.
• Nichols scored his team-leading third goal of the season for the Soaring Eagles.
• Through five games, Nichols has already set a new single-season record for points during his tenure at EC with eight.
• Xavier Townsend '23 made his first collegiate start in goal for the Soaring Eagles and finished with four saves.
• Freshman Ali Rodriguez '23 also made his first start while appearing in his fourth game of the year.

Up Next
The Soaring Eagles will venture to Buffalo, New York, to take on D'Youville College on Saturday, September 14. The non-league bout is scheduled to kick off at 2:00 p.m. from Dobson Field.