CALDWELL, N.J. – When looking at the dominance of Post University Men's Soccer in conference play, it takes nearly two seasons to find their last loss against a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opponent. Coming against Wilmington University on September 24th, 2022, in a 2-0 loss, the 23-match unbeaten streak came to an end for the Eagles on Wednesday afternoon at the hands of Caldwell University in a 2-1 road loss marking the first win for the Cougars against them since 2017.

THE BASICS 
Post University 1, Caldwell University 2

Post University (6-4-3, 4-1-2 CACC)

Caldwell University (5-3-3, 4-1-1 CACC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
In what would be considered a lopsided first half by the numbers in the box score, the Cougars dominated in total shots by a 10-3 margin, forcing graduate goalkeeper Ricardo Moreno to make five saves in net. One of the biggest saves in the first half would come just 15 minutes into the contest when a foul in the box led to a penalty kick for freshman forward Jeremy Klinger which Moreno turned away to keep the match scoreless. 

However, freshman Haakon Rake connected with sophomore forward Theodore Hertzenberg leading to a high corner shot for the Cougars that got past Moreno in the 26th minute to give them the early 1-0 advantage. That lead would be short-lived though as freshman midfielder Len Fliss tied things back up before the half in the 40th minute with the help of graduate defender Felix Nassen, beating sophomore goalkeeper Justin Talbot with his shot in a 45-minute frame that saw him make just one save. 

In a more even second half of play, Caldwell held just a 7-6 edge in shots while the Eagles' offense started to get things working to the tune of three shots against Talbot while Moreno was faced with just two in goal. But one of those two shots would end up being the difference maker as sophomore defender Yigit Kilic gave the Cougars the lead for good in the 84th minute with the help of Klinger, squeezing the ball just inside the right post.

The Eagles would press up in the final six minutes and change in hopes of getting the equalizer, but the only shot they would get came from Fliss in the 87th minute which went wide right of Talbot as Post dropped their first conference match of the season, 2-1. 

BY THE NUMBERS 

• Len Fliss now has goals in back-to-back matches for the first time this season and has totaled up three goals overall – Fliss has recorded points in three of the last four matches for Post University
• Ricardo Moreno's three-game shutout streak came to an end after he allowed two goals against Caldwell University while making six saves in the defeat
• With the loss, Post University's unbeaten streak in conference play ends at 23 straight matches – Their last conference loss came during the 2022 season in which they lost to Wilmington University on September 24th, 2022, on the road -- The last home conference loss came on October 5th, 2021, against Bloomfield College
• This is the first time since 2017 in which Post University has lost to Caldwell University in the all-time series and heading into the match, that was the only loss the Eagles had against the Cougars since 2009

WHO'S NEXT 
Post University continues its home stretch of the regular season with another road matchup next Tuesday against Dominican (N.Y.) at 3:30 PM. The Eagles have won 10 consecutive matches against the Chargers since the 2015 season and are coming off a 6-0 home win against them last season at LaMoy Field.