CLAYTON, MO – The Principia Men's Soccer team took on Fontbonne University at Clayton High School in St. Louis on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers came in having lost three straight conference games and were looking to get back on track with a win.
Fontbonne came out firing as the Griffins put 11 shots on net in the first half. Late in the first half, just three minutes after Fontbonne scored their second goal to go up 2-0, freshman
Cade Pecheck got Principia on the board with his first collegiate goal off a beautiful cross by
Diego Alas. The Panthers were grateful to make it a one-score game at halftime and looked to build on the momentum of Pechek's goal.
Unfortunately, the Griffins grabbed the momentum right back early in the second half with a goal to put them up 3-1. Three minutes later, Pecheck was knocked down on a run just outside the box to set up a Principia free kick.
Parker Boyce calmly stepped up and replicated his perfect free kick from the Eureka game as he buried it upper 90 to cut the Fontbonne lead to 3-2.
After fighting to equalize the rest of the half to no avail, the Panthers drew another free kick with 2:30 remaining. This one was slightly further out, but well within Boyce's range. He stepped up again and fired a tailing shot off the crossbar in the top left corner as he came inches from tying the game in dramatic fashion. The Griffins would survive the final couple minutes to close out the win and send Principia to 1-4 in SLIAC play.
Up Next: Principia will travel down to Mississippi to face new conference opponent MUW for the first time on their home field. The game will take place on Wednesday at 3:00 pm.
