CANTON, NY – The RIT (3-5-0, 0-1-0 Liberty League) men's soccer team opened Liberty League play Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 defeat at No. 19 St. Lawrence University (7-1-2, 1-0-0 Liberty League) on Sandy McCallister Field.
 
Shots were 21-7 in favor of the Saints, who took five corner kicks to none for the Tigers. Chris Dill (East Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) took the loss in net for RIT, making eight saves. Ryan Roethel got the win in net for the Saints, making four saves.

RIT had a chance early in the game when freshman Gene Sicoli (Commack, NY/Commack) got free at the top of the St. Lawrence box and fired a shot from 18 yards out that Roethel was able to get behind and stop.

Tapshal Augustine gave the Saints a 1-0 lead on his goal in the 42nd minute off an assist from Kevin O'Neill. O'Neill started the play along the end line to keep the ball in before chipping a long pass over the RIT defense to Augustine at midfield. Augustine carried in one-on-one with a Tigers defender before hitting a shot low into the bottom corner on the far side for a 1-0 Saints lead.

Morgan Smith gave the Saints a 2-0 lead in the 58th minute off a free kick from 25 yards out following a yellow card on a Tigers' defender. Smith hit a hard shot along the ground through traffic that snuck inside the near post and behind a sprawling Dill.

St. Lawrence leads the all-time series between the two schools, 30-13-3.

RIT returns to action on Friday, Oct. 2 when they face Liberty League foe Skidmore College at 4 p.m. in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.