Box Score (HTML)
 
SALEM, W. Va. – The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team dropped its first match of the season with a 2-1 loss at Salem International Tuesday afternoon at Catalano Stadium in Salem, West Virginia.
 
The loss gives Slippery Rock a 2-1 record heading into its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference contest of the year Saturday against Shippensburg. Salem International improved to 2-1 with the victory.
 
Salem International scored the game's first goal when Samir Anzil converted a pass from Aleja De la Macorra into his first goal of the season in the 21st minute. SIU held on to its lead for the next 20 minutes until senior forward Mike Ilodigwe beat Tiger goalkeeper Elliot Cook for the game-tying goal at the 41:42 mark in the opening period. Ilodigwe's goal came thanks to a quality lead pass from junior midfielder Josh Allman.
 
However, the Tigers quickly retook the lead when Mohamed Ali Khalaf scored the go-ahead goal less than a minute later to give SIU a lead that it would never relinquish.
 
Junior forward Matt Sangermano and junior forward Andre Morgan combined for five shots in the second half, but none of the attempts could find the back of the Salem net as the Tigers managed to hang on for the win.
 
Ilodigwe's goal was his second in as many goals while Allman's assist was the first of the year and fourth of his career. Junior goalkeeper Jonathan Sharp made his first collegiate start, stopping two shots and allowing two goals in 90 minutes.
 
For the game, Salem held narrow edges over Slippery Rock in both total shots (11-9) and corners (6-5). Each team had four shots on goal.
 
Slippery Rock will look to return to its winning ways with a win over Shippensburg 3:30 p.m. Saturday at James Egli Field.