ASTON, Pa. - The Neumann University men's soccer team dropped a heartbreaker in Saturday's home opener, falling by a score 2-1 to visiting Hood College in non-conference action.
 
Jake Kuzmick scored for the Knights in the loss.
 
Neumann dominated the opening 45 minutes, outshooting the Blazers by a count of 8-2. The Knights consistently found themselves behind the Hood back-line in the first several minutes and found pay dirt just 13:33 into the contest. Kuzmick outmuscled a Blazer defender on a loose ball off a goal kick, then calmly slotted the ball home to give Neumann the early 1-0 lead. The hosts created several more opportunities, including a goal called back for offsides from Gianni Smith, but the one-goal lead remained until halftime. The visitors nearly broke through with an equalizer late in the half but a shot off a counter attack struck the wood-work to keep things 1-0 in favor of Neumann at the break.
 
The Knights came out of the halftime break firing, nearly adding two goals to their ledger in the opening five minutes of the half. A Jon Zubert breakaway was thwarted by an onrushing Hood goalkeeper, then a great run and service from Eddie Proud went beckoning as it drifted across the six yard box with no one there to tap it home.
 
Neumann would rue those early missed chances, as Hood fought its way back into the game with a counter-punch of its own. The Blazers tallied twice in a 3:13 span midway through the half to stun the Knights and make it 2-1 to the visitors. Those two goals were the only shots on target that the hosts would allow all day long.
 
The Knights would not quit on the game though, continuing to press for a tying-goal until the final whistle. Neumann continued to dominate the game territorially and on the shot chart, earning a 9-3 advantage in the period to finish with a 17-5 edge in shots and 11-2 lead in shots on goal overall in the game. Zubert again had the best chance to equalize in the final minutes, but after dribbling past the keeper on a bad angle, his shot skied over the goal to keep the score at 2-1. Despite throwing everything they had at the Blazers to get the game tied, the game would finish by the same score to hand the Knights their first loss of the season.
 
Neumann (1-1) returns to action Monday, September 5th when the team plays host to Goucher College in a Labor Day showdown. The non-conference contest is scheduled for 11:00 AM.