LAKEWOOD, N.J. (Oct. 4, 2022) - Playing on yet another rainy and windy afternoon in Lakewood, Georgian Court Men's Soccer suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Wilmington. 

How it Happened
• Most of the action took place in the second as the rain varied in intensity throughout the afternoon. Wilmington led in the shot department 21-12 and put 13 on net to the Lions three. The Lions outshot the Wildcats in the first half 5-4, but Wilmington peppered the net with 17 second-half shots. 
• Using that offensive pressure, Wilmington drew 10 corner kicks and the Lions four.
• The Wildcats were called for 10 fouls and the Lions eight, while GCU was booked for five yellow cards and one red card and the Wildcats just one yellow.
• It took more than 10 minutes before either team got a shot off. Mikey Mallon was credited with the first but it went wide. Mallon actually had the first three shots of the game, but couldn't manage to get any towards the net.
• Wilmington didn't get their first official shot until the 27th minute. Following the shot, Wilmington earned two consecutive corner kicks and put a shot on Sotirios Gkosdis who made his first save of the match.
• A failed clearance attempt by the Lions put the ball at the foot of Marius Skattum Dahl. He made a one-touch pass to Yohan Kim who booted it low and into the bottom right corner for the game's first goal. 
• Near the end of the first half, Jay Abraham had a chance to tie, sending one towards the net that kissed off the crossbar and stayed out. Neither team had another opportunity the rest of the period and after 45 minutes it was 1-0 Wildcats.
• It didn't take long for the Wildcats to make it a 2-0 game. Less than two minutes into the second half, the Lions corner kick troubles came around once again. The long kick from Max Norden found Malthe Hannesbo who touched it past Gkosdis for a 2-0 lead.
• Jay Abraham had an immediate chance to make it a one-goal game again, but Bas Markus made the stop.
• In the 69th minute, some give-and-go passing by Skattum Dahl again, this time to Richard Thompson, netted the Wildcats third goal of the afternoon.
• The Lions finally got on the board in the 80th minute. Francisco Corral found Joseph Ficarotta who's attempt from beyond the 18 found the back of the net.
• Wilmington played keep away for the final 10 minutes and GCU didn't get another shot off as the match concluded 3-1.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Joseph Ficarotta came off the bench and scored for GCU on two shots.
• Francisco Corral picked up an assist.
• Mikey Mallon totaled four shots.
• Jay Abraham took three shots, two going on net.
• Sotirios Gkosdis came up with 10 saves.

For the Wildcats
• Richard Thompson scored on his only shot attempt. 
• Yohan Kim took two shots and scored once.
• Malthe Hannesbo also added a goal for Wilmington.
• Marius Skattum Dahl passed out two assists.
• Max Norden was credited with one assist.
• Bas Markus wasn't tested often, making two saves.

News and Notes
• The goal is Ficarotta's second of the season and of his career.
• Francisco Corral now has 10 assists in his career. That moves him into a tie for third all-time at GCU for career assists. 
• Gkosdis' 10 saves are the most he's made in a match this season.
• Gkosdis has now gone over 50 saves this season. His 51 are the sixth most by a Lion in a single season.

Up Next
• The Lions will host Bloomfield College Saturday, Oct. 8 for Go 4 The Goal Cancer Awareness Day. The match is part of a CACC doubleheader with the Lion women and is set to kickoff at 2:30 p.m.