CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell College men's soccer team lost its first Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game of the season, falling to Holy Family University, 4-3 Saturday afternoon at Caldwell Field. The loss keeps the Cougars winless on the season at 0-3, while the Tigers improve to 2-1.

The result overshadowed solid performances from senior forward Facundo Zalazar (Buenos Aires City, Argentina/San Agustin), who had two goals, and by sophomore Dylan Ross (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's), who had a goal and an assist. Just 27 seconds after Dodji Freitas put Holy Family on the scoreboard in the seventh minute, Ross sent a cross into the penalty area that was tipped by junior forward Kris Olsen-Barr (Brick, NJ/Brick Twp.) to Zalazar, who scored to tie the game. Then in the 22nd minute, another cross by Ross ended up bouncing off the chest of Zalazar and into the goal for a 2-1 Caldwell lead.

But Freitas would not be denied today, as the speedy forward scored back-to-back goals in the 27th and 33rd minutes to put the visitors on top, 3-2. Eleven minutes into the second half, Ross fired the ball into the penalty area from the right side, only to have a Holy Family defender called for a handball. Ross buried the ensuing penalty kick to tie the game again, 3-3. Again Freitas would strike, as his unassisted goal in the 74th minute was his fourth of the game and proved to be the difference in a close contest. Caldwell's best chance to tie came in the 88th minute, when a header by sophomore defender Steve Petrosino (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) was labeled for the upper right corner before Kelly Diaz made the save for Holy Family.

Freshman goalkeeper Michael Hartmann (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) recorded two saves for Caldwell, while Diaz finished with four saves. The Cougars out-shot the Tigers, 15-8 and held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Caldwell hosts Mercy College on Wednesday, Sept. 12 in a non-conference game at 4:00 p.m.