PHOTO GALLERY
 
The Bearcat men's soccer team lost by a 3-2 margin to the La Roche Redhawks in the inaugural game at UPMC Field.
 
La Roche got on the board in the 17th minute of the non-conference matchup, when a corner kick was punched out of the box by SVC keeper Nick Bohn, but bounced right to the foot of La Roche's Firas Abduljawad, who scored from 15 yards out to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
 
The Bearcats (0-4) tied the game in the 26th minute, when a foul was called inside the 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick.  Josh Kucmeroski scored on the attempt, tying the game at 1-1.
 
The score remained tied through the rest of a physical first half.  La Roche finished the half with an 11-10 edge in shots, and each team had three corner kick attempts.
 
Early in the second half, a foul was called on the Bearcats deep in the defensive zone, giving the Redhawks a penalty kick opportunity.  The shot by Joaquin Vincent Franch was sent toward the left side of the net, but Bohn made a diving block, keeping the score 1-1.

Bohn's save rallied the Bearcats, and two minutes later, Kucmeroski worked his way into the box and scored his second goal of the day, making it a 2-1 game in favor of Saint Vincent.  
 
In the 57th minute, a Bearcat foul gave the Redhawks the ball, and they were able to push downfield. A shot caromed off a couple of players, eventually finding the net off a shot by Hugo Arroyo, tying the game.
 
Near the midway point of the second half, Abduljawad set up Kyle Harriet for the Redhawks go-ahead goal. 
 
The Bearcats had two opportunities to tie the game late, but a wide shot and a save thwarted both efforts, and the Redhawks earned their first win of the season, 3-2.

For the day, each team took 20 shots, with La Roche (1-2) holding an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal.  

SVC will be back in action on Sunday, September 9, traveling to Cresson to face Mount Aloysius College.