The University of La Verne men's soccer team headed out to Elizabethtown Pennsylvania for the Brothers Pizza Blue Jay Classic to take on the Diplomats of Franklin & Marshall College, but fell in a 2-1 final after a late goal in the last 30 seconds of the match. Former La Verne football standout Taylor Hart recorded the first goal of the 2009 season for the Leopards.

Due to a rain delay, the game was moved from Elizabethtown College's Ira R. Herr Field to the Hempfiled Soccer Complex. The Diplomats struck early in the game as Eddie Stene took a shot that bounced off the hands of freshman goalie Ryan Thompson, giving Franklin & Marshall a lead in the 7th minute. La Verne would try to answer back, but all four shots taken by the Leopards in the first half were saved by goalie Zach Zamek, and the Leopards would find themselves trailing 1-0 heading into halftime.

Franklin & Marshall would come out firing in the second half, causing Thompson to come up with 6 crucial saves to keep the game close. The Leopards took a few shots on goal, but were unable to find the back of the net. Then, in the 85th minute, Hart would score a goal on a 20 yard blast to put the Leopards right back in the game. The Diplomats desperately tried to end the match in regulation by taking shots in the last 5 minutes of the game, and finally got a corner kick in the last 30 seconds of the game. The corner lead to and Matt Melino goal from Eric Corsini, ending the match in a 2-1 victory for Franklin & Marshall.

The Leopards will play their second game of the tournament against the hosting Blue Jays of Elizabethtown College tomorrow at 7:00pm, who won their first match 5-0 against Gwynedd-Mercy College.