ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A penalty kick goal for Muhlenberg proved to be the difference as the Franklin & Marshall men's soccer team opened Centennial Conference play with a 1-0 loss on the road Saturday. The Diplomats (3-2-1, 0-1 CC) were called for a foul inside their own 18 and the Mules' Saleem Diakite took advantage during the 59th minute of play in the only scoring for either side under the lights.
That decisive penalty kick whistle came during a game in which the Diplomats held a 13-11 advantage in shots. The Mules did hold the upper hand in corner kicks (7-2) and shots on goal (7-1), but six saves from Diego Moreno kept Muhlenberg off the board for most of the night.
Seven different players recorded shots for the Diplomats as they tried to crack the Muhlenberg defense. Nico Palacios and Vahe Kassabian led those efforts with three shots each. Kassabian had the lone shot on goal for the Diplomats, with Muhlenberg's Nico Famularo making that save as part of his clean sheet during the 67th minute of game action.
Following a pair of road trips, the Diplomats return to Tylus Field this week for a pair of home contests. The team wraps up the non-conference portion of the regular season schedule on Wednesday with a 4:30 p.m. start against Albright. F&M resumes Centennial Conference play next Saturday, September 26 when Swarthmore comes to Tylus Field for a 3 p.m. start.
