ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT men's soccer team (1-2) could not overcome a two-goal deficit, falling to visiting Buffalo State (3-0), 2-1 at Tiger Stadium on Sunday in game two of the 2015 Doug May Memorial Tournament. Freshman forward Gene Sicoli (Commack, NY/Commack) converted a penalty kick for the Tigers in 55th minute.

The RIT goal in the 55th minute was the product of a penalty by the Bengals as the Tigers were on the attack. Sicoli stepped up after the foul, and calmly converted a perfect shot to the right corner, far beyond the reach of the Buffalo State goalkeeper. That goal was Scioli's second of the season, and the first allowed by Buffalo State all season.

Shots were 15-7 in favor of RIT. Buffalo State took six corner kicks to three for the Tigers. William Bannahene got the win in net for Buffalo State, making six saves. Peter Cinibulk (Bellbrook, OH/Bellbrook) took the loss for RIT. Chris Dill (East Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) saw his first collegiate action, playing the second half, making one save.

In the first half, the Bengals were able to capitalize on two early chances in the first 25 minutes. In the 10th minute, Luke Pavone ran down the right side on the counter attack, lacing a shot in the far right corner for the finish. In the 26th minute, Pavone doubled the Bengals lead, taking a chance at goal and succeeding, driving a shot from about 20 yards out into the right corner past the outstretched arms of the RIT goalkeeper.

"We made the first 25 minutes too easy on them with the counters," said RIT men's soccer head coach Bill Garno. "We fought in the second half to get ourselves back in it, but two goals down to a good team is tough to come back from."

After the two early goals, the Tigers had multiple opportunities at goal. In the 22nd minute, Ryan McMaster (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) found himself free behind the defense, as he tried to chip the ball over the keeper from just inside the box, with Bannahene just getting a finger on it to make the save.

In the second half, RIT dominated the shot totals, and possession, as the Bengals tightened defensively, looking to concede possession to prevent a game-tying goal. The Tigers had a few chances to knot it up, notably in the latter stages of the match when Dean Kouroupas (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) had two tough angle shots from inside the box, one of which were blocked by the Buffalo State defense.

The men will travel away from home for the first time in 2015, as they head to Cortland to take on 19th ranked SUNY Cortland (2-0) on Sept. 12.