Box Score FARMINGTON, Maine – The UMaine-Farmington men's soccer team (1-8-1) let a late second half lead slip away as the Beavers fell 4-2 to Johnson State Saturday afternoon at Prescott Field.
The game was very physical with a cold and wet climate, but it did not stop either team from clawing their way to every crucial possession.
The game stayed scoreless for 66 minutes until Ryan Fairbanks scored his team-leading third goal of the season on a bizzare free kick-rebound opportunity. Jordan Luks was knocked down by a Badger defender just outside the box, another two feet closer to the goal and the Beavers would have been presented with a penalty kick.
Luks free kick shot went low as the Badger defenders guessed high. Luks' shot bounced off the left post but Fairbanks was right there to knock the shot until the back of the net past Johnson keeper Alex Pakatar.
The Badgers did not waste any time tying the score as Johnson evened the score on the very next possession. Keegan Hanlon took a shot from just beyond midfield and went top shelf over UMF goalie Ronie Morales.
Johnson scored three more unanswered goals as Drew Steady gave the Badgers the lead in the 67th minute after getting the assist from Hanlon. Hanlon controlled the ball just outside the box and sent a pass to Steady on the outside. Steady dribbled past the UMF defense and beat Morales for the score.
Nihad Basic made the score, 3-1, on a "pinball" type of goal in the 72nd minute. The Badgers' corner kick was controlled in the box by Cory Chase, whose header went to Basic, who then headed Johnson's third goal of the game into the back of the net.
Chase added a goal of his own thirty seconds later when his power shot deflected off Morales into the goal. Richie Perez dishes a pass to Chase who shot through the UMF defense and even a diving Morales could not stop his shot as the ball deflected off the UMF keeper's hands.
Fairbanks and Luks hooked up for the second time of the afternoon in the 79th minute as Luks sent a cross in front of the goal and Fairbanks cashed in.
Ronie Morales saved nine shots on the day. Morales needs eight more saves to move into the UMF history books with the 10th best season in total saves.
UMaine-Farmington continues conference play on Tuesday as the Beavers travel to Maine Maritime for a 7:00pm game.
