Tough Start In La Crosse Leads To Loss

LA CROSSE, Wis. (9/21/21)---Concordia conceded a pair of goals in the first 15 minutes of play at Viterbo and lost 4-1 in their penultimate non-conference game of the season.

The Cobbers are now 2-6-0 for the season. The V-Hawks remain unbeaten on the year and move to 5-0-1.

Concordia had barely settled into the game when Viterbo struck for the opener. The V-Hawks opened the scoring at the 2:09 mark of the opening half of play. The Cobbers would record a pair of shots before Viterbo doubled their lead at 14:51.

The Cobbers finally found their game legs after the second strike. Concordia kept up the offensive pressure and was rewarded with a corner kick on the right wing. The ball came out of the penalty area where Tyson Aberle fired a shot that was blocked and spun its way over the end line for a second consecutive corner kick. Telvin Vah took the corner and played the ball into the penalty area to one of his teammates. The ball was played back to Vah who sent a cross into the goal area where it was flicked on by defender Matthew Nemer. The ball found an open Sondre Rygg who nodded home his first goal of the season. The goal at 17:01 was Rygg's fifth career tally and brought Concordia to within one at 2-1.

Unfortnately for CC, the V-Hawks would get the all-important "next goal". Viterbo pushed the lead back to two goals when they added their third of the game at 25:48.

Concordia held a 6-5 advantage in total shots in the first half and were up 5-3 in shots on goal.

Viterbo added the final goal of the game in the 60th minute of play.

The Cobbers outshot the V-Hawks 4-1 in the final 25 minutes of play but couldn't come up with another goal and fell by three.

Concordia also held an advantage in shots for the entire 90 minutes. CC had 14 total shots and 10 shots on goal as compared to 11 total shots and five on frame for Viterbo.     

Vah led Concordia with three total shots and two on frame. Rygg and Aberle both had two total shots and two on goal.

Concordia split the goalkeeping duties for the second straight game. Freshman Lucas Razidlo got his first college start and played the first half. He didn't record a save in his 45 minutes of play. Fellow first-year keeper Jensen Waltz entered after the break and stopped one shot in the second half.

UP NEXT: Concordia will return to conference play when they travel to Northfield to take on Carleton on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 12:30 p.m. The Knights are currently 4-1-2 on the year and ranked second in the latest USC Region 9 rankings.