MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's soccer team dropped a 4-1 decision to the St. Thomas University Bobcats on Saturday evening. The contest was a non-conference matchup, and saw the 12th-ranked Bobcats score twice in both halves to pull away from the Gyrenes.

AMU and St. Thomas played level soccer for the first 34 minutes of the night, before the Bobcats struck for their first goal in the 35th minute. At that point, Harry Molyneux scored on a cross from Lasse Lahrtz to put the Bobcats on the board. Then, in the 44th minute, Itay Forkosh scored after beating the defense and placing his shot in the bottom right corner. 

Less than four minutes into the second half, Forkosh scored again, beating the Gyrenes for his second goal of the match. Forkosh completed a hat trick in the 75th minute, scoring on a pass from Nicolo Dallomo.

In the 52nd minute, the Gyrenes got on the board against the Bobcats. AMU's goal came when the St. Thomas goalie misplayed the ball, allowing it into the net.

AMU goalie Andrea Salomone stopped eight St. Thomas shots in the contest, and the Ave Maria defense avoided any further damage by turning away Bobcat efforts on 13 corner kicks throughout the match. Offensively, the Gyrenes' only two chances on goal were provided by Greg Lawrence and Alan Gonzalez.

The Gyrenes and Bobcats are scheduled to meet again on Wednesday, September 19, when the Bobcats come to Gyrene Field for a contest that will count in The Sun Conference standings.

Ave Maria will play the second contest of their five match roadtrip on Thursday evening against NCAA Division II foe Eckerd College. It is one of two meetings with opponents from the Sunshine State Conference during the roadtrip. Kickoff against the Tritons is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in St. Petersburg.