MOON TOWNSHIP– The Robert Morris men’s soccer team desperately looked to get back on the right foot, similar to how they started the season. The Colonials have dropped their last three games after beginning the season unbeaten.
Head coach Jonathan Potter’s squad drew the St. Bonaventure Bonnies 1-1 Tuesday afternoon at the North Athletic Complex in the penultimate game of their non-conference schedule.
“I thought there was a lot of progress for our team in a number of areas,” Coach Potter said. “We created a lot of opportunities on goal. Aside from one moment for the (St. Bonaventure) goal in the second half, we were pretty solid. It wasn’t the result that we wanted, but we were happy with the progress in a lot of areas of how we played.”
The game started slow with very few shots on target. The Colonials outshot the Bonnies 4-2 with shots on goal in the first half. However, the intensity ramped up after the whistle blew to begin the second half.
More shots on goal and a lot of yellow cards filled up the scoresheet in the final 45 minutes. The Bonnies had nine yellow cards by nine different players in the second half.
“We defended a little higher,” Coach Potter said. “We felt like they created some situations where our back four was in trouble in the first half. So, we defended a little higher and I think that helped the team.”
The Colonials had many different opportunities to cash in, but team captain Gabe Norris got on the scoreboard first in the 55th minute for his third goal on the season.
“[He] scored an absolute stunner of a goal with a touch in the box. He’s been such a big component…He’s a great kid. He works really, really hard every day in training. He’s super professional and really cares about his teammates,” Coach Potter said. “As a coach, you just love to see people like that who do the right actions every day, and you love to see those people succeed.”
The Colonials’ lead was very short-lived as St. Bonaventure’s Umechi Akuazaoku scored his third goal of the season to tie it up 1-1.
With that draw, the Colonials have been winless in their last four games, but have snapped their losing streak.
The squad will host Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday, Sept. 30 at the North Athletic Complex at 3 p.m.
