ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Playing a man down for more than 70 minutes, the Roberts Wesleyan University men's soccer team left everything on the field against Queens College during Saturday afternoon's Homecoming Week match.
The Redhawks generated some scoring chances late, but David Oprea's goal in the 23^rd minute held up and the visiting Knights secured a 1-0 victory in the East Coast Conference match.
The defeat snapped a four-match unbeaten streak for Roberts (5-4-1, 2-1-1 ECC).
"I couldn't have asked for anything more of the guys," Roberts coach Scott Reber said. "We fought hard and we fought clean. We had our chances there at the end, but we just weren't able to convert."
Roberts' best chance came with about 1:40 to play when Dylan Ruiz headed a cross from Marc-Anthony Blackburn just over the crossbar.
"I thought the boys played their hearts out," senior goalkeeper Jared Gibbons said of his Roberts teammates. "To be a man down for that much of the game is tough, the boys went all out and, from where I stood, we looked like the better side."
Queens registered seven shots and Roberts had six during a physical match where 35 fouls were called.
Roberts, which has won its last three road games, returns to action at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at ECC foe Daemen.
"It's another big conference game and another big opportunity for us," Reber said.