Huskies Score 2-1 Opening Night Victory

Friday, August 24

7:00 P.M.

University of Connecticut

1-0

Lehigh University

0-1

LEHIGH

UConn

Photo by: Stephen Slade

8/24/2018 10:42:00 PM | Men's Soccer

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STORRS, Conn. --- The strong right leg of Felix Metzler got the UConn men's soccer team off on the right foot Friday night.

Metzler, a freshman from Frankfurt, Germany, rocketed a free kick off the left post and into the high left corner of the net in the 84th minute to lift the Huskies to a 2-1 opening-game victory over Lehigh.

Metzler rejuvenated the UConn crowd of 3,008 which had been shocked into silence after Lehigh tied the game, 1-1, on Mark Forrest's penalty kick just six minutes earlier.

"I don't know why, I just had just had feeling that I would score," Metzler said. "We have other people who could have taken it, too, but I was sure I could score."

It wasn't just the winning goal, however, that had UConn coach Ray Reid beaming about his freshman defender.

"Don't get me wrong, that was a big-time goal," said the 22-year UConn coach. "But what was better was the way Felix played today. He was composed, he got himself out of tight areas, he switched the point of attack, he didn't over-dribble. He was exactly the guy that we brought over from Germany today."

UConn had the better of the play throughout the first half, but was not rewarded until two minutes before halftime.

Quickly setting up a corner kick before Leigh had much of a chance to set its defense, Adbou Mbacke Thiam tapped a pass to Dylan Goldberg, who sent it right back to Thiam for a perfect cross that sophomore Robin Lapert headed past Lehigh goaltender Will Smith.

Lapert, a transfer from University of Charleston also playing his first game in a UConn uniform, was just happy the Huskies finally got on the board.

"I'm just very happy about the team win," Lapert said. "I knew Abdou would cross for me, so I just ran and stepped in front of the defender and put my head in. I was very happy it went in."

The goal gave the Huskies a lift going into halftime, but Lehigh's defense was up to the task in the second half and wouldn't allow UConn to stretch its advantage. But with the clock winding down to the final 12:00, the Mountain Hawks got their chance after a UConn foul in the box.

"The penalty was a stupidity play on our part," Reid said.

UConn goaltender Gianluca Catalano had no chance on Forrest's bullet to the lower left corner and the game was deadlocked.

The Huskies went on the attack, however, and when UConn midfielder Josh Burnett was pushed from behind just outside the box, the stage was set for Metzler's heroics. From dead in front of the net, Metzler sent it over the Lehigh wall of humanity and put UConn into the win column.

"Over the years, we've never been very good on opening night," Reid said. "We have so much diversity – people from different places – that it takes a while to get guys on the same page on how we way we play style-wise.

"The answer (after Lehigh scored) shows some resilience with this group. I was very pleased with the mentality. It was a positive step."

UConn won't have much time to celebrate, getting back on the field at Morrone Stadium on Sunday, playing host to Niagara at 7 p.m.