EWING, N.J. – The TCNJ men's soccer team nearly climbed out of a big first-half hole, but was unable to get all the way back in a 4-2 setback to visiting Ramapo on Saturday.
 
Matias Hornos scored a goal and assisted on one by Danny Hyde, all in a span of just over five minutes late in the first half, to get the Lions within 3-2 after a rough start. Despite plenty of pressure and chances in the second half, the hosts could not find the back of the net again.
 
Ramapo (7-2-3, 2-1-1) scored three goals in a span of under nine minutes to put TCNJ well behind just 24 minutes and change after kickoff. Hornos got the Lions on the board in the 39^th minute, collecting his own rebound and sending a shot into the right-hand corner of the net.
 
With 43 seconds left in the half, Hornos dribbled into the left side of the box and sent a bouncing pass across the face of goal, where Hyde was waiting to tap in for his first collegiate goal.
 
Now trailing just 3-2 and with all the momentum, TCNJ (1-9-4, 1-2-1) fired off 15 shots in the second half, but none managed to find the net. Ramapo restored a multi-goal lead in the 55^th minute and held on from there, weathering the Lions' many attacks.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• TCNJ outshot Ramapo, 20-18, and put up its second-highest shot total of the season
• Ramapo had a slim edge in shots on goal (13-10), but the Lions posted an 8-3 surplus in corners
• Kyle Allen led all players with six shots for the Roadrunners, which got two goals from Gianfranco Ponce
• Hornos matched J.J. Zaun for the TCNJ lead with four shots, and each put two on goal
• Chris Meder paced the Lions with three on-target attempts
• Colin Rentner made nine saves for the Lions

NOTES

• Rentner's nine saves marked a career high
• Hornos enjoyed his first career game with both a goal and an assist and now leads the Lions in both categories with three
• Hyde's first goal came on just his fifth career shot

UP NEXT

• The Lions head to Rutgers-Camden on Wednesday night