PURCHASE, N.Y. – In a back-and-forth affair virtually identical on the stat sheet, the Manhattanville College men's soccer team dropped a 2-1 non-conference match to the Drew University Rangers on Saturday, Sept. 15, at GoValiants.com Field.

Both Drew (5-2) and Manhattanville (4-2) finished the day with five shots on goal and 10 shots total, while Drew took six corner kicks to Manhattanville's five.

Manhattanville struck first in the sixth minute stemming from a slow pass from the Drew defense back to goalkeeper Jason Adamo that freshman Cody LaCava (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) intercepted. Adamo managed to save LaCava's initial shot, but was well out of position as the ball bounced right to junior Cristian Araujo (Miami, Fla./Miami Palmetto), who buried his team-leading fourth goal of the season in the back of the open net. The Rangers equalized just 46 seconds later when Aiden Cserhart headed in an Anthony McMyne cross from the left for his team-leading sixth goal of the season.

The score remained tied at one at the half, despite a combined seven corner kicks, thanks in part to two saves from freshman Charles Roberts (Brown Mills, N.J./Pemberton Township) and one from Adamo.
In the 59th minute, the Rangers' Matt Asante found a cutting Alexi Velasquez who tucked a shot from 12 yards out just inside the top right corner for a 2-1 Drew advantage.

The Valiants had a number of opportunities to equalize over the final 30 minutes, the best coming in the 75th minute when freshman Johnny Arauz (Brentwood, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) struck the underside of the crossbar from just outside the 18-yard box, but Drew held on for the narrow win.

Manhattanville's three-match homestand concludes Wednesday when the Farmingdale State College Rams come to GoValiants.com Field for a 4 p.m. kickoff.