On a crisp evening in Virginia, the Radford University men's soccer team traveled to face the JMU Highlanders, only to see a narrow 2‑1 defeat slip away in the dying minutes.
A Late Surge
Manuel Lolas was the catalyst for JMU, striking twice, the first a penalty in the 82nd minute that equalized before his second sealed the win. The decisive strike arrived in the 85th minute from a corner kick, catching Radford off guard.
Despite out‑shooting the Highlanders 14‑6, the Dukes could not convert the pressure into goals, managing just five shots on target while JMU posted five as well. Erik Jaspers made three saves between the posts for Radford, but the defense could not hold the late surge.
The loss snapped a three‑game winning streak that Radford had enjoyed over JMU, a run that dated back to 2017. With the defeat still fresh, the Dukes will look to rebound when they host Princeton on Friday.
Head coach Paul Zazenski acknowledged the tough night, noting the team’s defensive lapses and the need to tighten up set‑piece execution after the corner‑kick goal.
Beyond Lolas, several other Dukes contributed multiple attempts, including Håkon Rake, Ikenna Nnawuchi, Noel Zimbava, Leon Kondic and Cameron Arnold, but it was the Highlanders’ composure that ultimately decided the match.