EASTON, Pa. – Four second-half goals sent Lafayette University past the Monmouth University men Tuesday night, 5-2. The Hawks played the final 27 minutes a man down due to a red card.
The Hawks (0-3-0) scored the first goal in the 22nd minute and led 2-1 at halftime, but the Leopards (3-0-1) scored four times in the second half.
Sebastian Varela scored twice for the hosts during the second-half surge.
“Full credit goes to Lafayette,” Monmouth head coach Robert McCourt said. “They are a very difficult veteran team to play against. We have a lot of new starters and had some really good moments in the game. We got punished on some costly mistakes, but will stick together and learn from tonight.”
Monmouth took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute, as Julian Gomez sent in a left footed cross and Pablo Fonseca connected on a diving header.
The Leopards quickly in the 36th minute. Monmouth misplayed a ball near the 18 as James Gibson won a race to the goal line to tap it in.
In the 44th minute, Sebastian Rodriguez curled in a shot from 25 yards that found the inside of the left post for a 2-1 halftime lead.
The Leopards tied it up in the 53rd minute after the ball was knocked around the box off multiple players with Marcos Kitromilides getting credit for the goal.
A quick cross and header by Ryan Goncalves gave Lafayette its lead in the 61st minute.
After Monmouth’s Andy Martinez was red carded in the 63rd minute, Lafayette continued to have its way.
Varela tallied his first goal in the 79th minute. Three minutes later, Varela sealed it with his brace.
