NEW HAVEN, CONN.  - The Albertus Magnus Falcons men's soccer team rallied from two goals down in the second half to defeat Lasell, 3-2 in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) game on Tuesday.

For the second straight game, Kelvin Cortez (Meriden, Conn.) scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 75th minute. He also had an assist on the other goal.

THE BASICS

FINAL SCORE: Albertus Magnus  3 | Lasell 2

RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (7-1-3, 5-1-2 GNAC) | Lasell (2-6-2, 2-4-2 GNAC)

BOXSCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Falcons started off the game on the attack, taking three shots in the first 20 minutes, but it was the Lasers who got on the board first in the 23rd minute on a goal from Owen O'Brien. O'Brien was the beneficiary of a ball that was deflected by an Albertus defender in the box and he was able to score for the Lasers to make it a 1-0 game.

With just 17 seconds remaining in the first half, the Lasers gave themselves a 2-0 lead as Daniel Faystein found Liam Thompson on a cross inside the box just in front of the net. Thompson was able to tap it in for the Lasers.

The comeback for the Falcons began in the 54th minute as a ball sent into the box was knocked down by a Lasell defender. The ball squirted away and Cortez was there to put home his sixth goal of the season.

In the 65th minute, Gabriel Paglia (amity, Conn.) scored his third goal of the season in a sea of people on a header off of a corner kick from Cortez, tying the game, 2-2.

Cortez saved his best moment for last in the 75th minute as he dribbled the ball through four defenders along the goalline by the net, and struck it into the far low corner of the goal to give the Falcons their first and only lead of the game.

Lucero stopped both shots he faced in the second half to preserve the win for Albertus.

BETWEEN THE PIPES

Albertus: David Lucero (East Haven, Conn.) (W, 6-1-2):  4  Shots on Goal |  2 Goals-Against |  2 Saves
Lasell: Antonio Centracchio (L, 2-5-1):  11 Shots on Goal | 3 Goals-Against |  8 Saves


INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Albertus was dominant with possession most of the game and outshot Lasell, 24-7 overall and 10-4 in shots on goal.

• The Falcons had 11 corner kicks to just two for the Lasers and benefited off one in the 65th minute on Paglia's goal.

• The Lasers were called for four times as many fouls as the Falcons, 12-3.

NOTEWORTHY

• Albertus is now 9-6-2 overall against Lasell all-time. The Falcons are 7-0-1 in the last eight meetings between the two teams.

• Cortez is now tied for the GNAC lead in points (19), goals (7) and second in assists (5). He has four goals and three assists in his last three games.

• It was the second straight game Cortez scored two goals. It is also the second time in his career that he has had two games with at least two goals in a season.

• It is the fifth straight season the Falcons have won at least five GNAC games in a season.

• Paglia has registered at least a point in each of his last three games (two goals, one assist).

UP NEXT

The Falcons return to action at Celentano field in a GNAC matchup against the Saints of Emmanuel College on Saturday, October 7. Kick off is set for 4 p.m.