NEWARK, NJ – University of Rochester men's soccer fell to the New York University Violets, 1-0, on Friday evening at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium, dropping their first conference match of the year.
 
After a first half that saw just six total shots, three from each side, neither of which were on goal, the Yellowjackets put the first shot on net a little less than six minutes into the second half.
 
A header by Terra Nagai missed wide right just past the 50-minute mark of the second, and after the Violets turned it over in their own defensive third, UR looked to score with the three 'Jackets pushing ahead at just three Violet defenders. However, Jackson McCloskey came up with a save on Alessio Cristianetti-Walker's shot, and just minutes later a dangerous ball from Johnny Makula sailed through the box without a shot.
 
The Violets would then break through in the 58th minute, just past the 57-minute mark of the second. Bryce Lexow found Ahmed Ibrahim with a tremendous thru ball, past the Yellowjacket defense and onside, and 1-v-1 with Santino Lupica-Tondo, Ibrahim tucked the ball into the lower right of the net to give the Violets a 1-0 lead.
 
Rochester quickly countered at the other end, but Makula's 58th-minute attempt was again saved by McCloskey.
 
With 15 second-half shots, seven of which were on goal, the Violets continued to pepper Lupica-Tondo as they looked for another score, but UR's defense held firm and Lupica-Tondo made eight total saves, to keep NYU from extending their lead any further.
 
Lupica-Tondo stopped Lexow's attempt in the 61st minute and would add two more stops on shots by Ibrahim in the 77th and 78th minutes, twice denying the senior on the breakaway with a pair of big, 1-v-1 saves.
 
And then again off a corner kick just past the 80-minute mark, Lupica-Tondo again denied two attempts by Lexow and Ibrahim off a corner, keeping the Yellowjackets within striking distance down by just a score.
 
However, UR would be held to just six shots, just two of which were on goal, in the second half, as they tried to equalize down the stretch.
 
One of Rochester's best opportunities came just shy of the 73rd minute, with a deflected ball finding Milos Bisenic in front of the goal, but a sliding NYU defender knocked away Bisenic's shot, giving Rochester a corner.
 
Down the stretch, the Yellowjackets picked up a pair of corners, but EliJose Araujo's 88th-minute attempt was again blocked by the NYU defense. Rochester continued to press forward, earning another corner after Cristanetti-Walker's 89th-minute shot went wide, but UR couldn't find the back of the net, and fell for the first time in conference play, 1-0.
 
With the loss, Rochester falls to 8-3-3 (2-1-1 UAA) on the year, while NYU moves to 6-3-3 (1-2-1 UAA).
 
Cristanetti-Walker led UR with two shots, one of which was on goal, while Makula tallied the 'Jackets' other shot on frame. In goal, Lupica-Tondo made six saves.
 
The Yellowjackets will wrap up their weekend in Waltham, MA with a matchup against Brandeis University on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1:30 p.m.