INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI men's soccer team ended up on the wrong side of a 2-0 decision to visiting Wright State on Thursday (Mar. 18) as the teams battled through rainy, windy and wet conditions at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium. WSU's Zion Beaton netted the eventual game-winner in the 19th minute and Reece Allbaugh doubled the Raiders advantage early in the second half of the win. 

IUPUI (0-5) matched Wright State's 12 shot attempts and had a decisive 8-3 advantage on corner kicks, but was ultimately held off the scoreboard for the third time this season. Riley Shives had a team-high three shot attempts from his attacking position while Mandela Cybahiro and Matthew Skaar attempted two each. Redshirt freshman Lucas Morefield was dealt the loss in goal as he made four stops and yielded both scores. 

"I think right now, it just comes down to that final finishing touch and I think guys working for that extra inch, fighting for that extra little bit of space in those areas and finding a way to get on the end of flank service - the other component to that too is how many shots today did we have that actually hit the target or actually challenged their goalkeeper and forced him to make saves? I think it's few and far between on a day where he probably makes only three or four saves on 12 shots. Unfortunately, that's just not enough." IUPUI head coach Brian Barnett said. "We definitely have guys who are selected throughout the team that are going to go forward and join the attack and we have a way in which we want to do that and we have been talking about having a positive attitude in the attacking half of the field to generate shots.

"I think that's a daily coaching point for me. We're in a place where we have to find some belief in ourselves and we need to also have some tangible belief in ourselves out on the field in terms of putting together a goal or putting together a result. There's still a lot of positive stuff happening out there."

IUPUI came out on the attack, seeking its first goal on its home pitch this season, including an early attempt on frame from Rayan Choukri that lead to a corner kick. After an initial burst from the Jags, the match settled down and teams began to extend possessions. The Raiders (3-2-1) got the go-ahead goal off the head of Beaton after Presten Manthey played a long ball from the right side deep into the Jaguars' penalty area. 

The Jags continued to seek an equalizer, including a shot on target from Cameron Haegele in the 22nd minute that WSU keeper Sebastian Jimenez was able to smother. 

IUPUI was optimistic that playing with a stiff tailwind for the second half would result in some offensive fortune, but it turned out to be the opposite as Wright State put away an insurance goal in the 48th minute. Reece Allbaugh got loose at the far post and blasted a shot past Morefield off service from Brayden McNitt.

IUPUI tried to answer back as Corey Goede had a flick on frame stopped in the 52nd minute and Shives had his best look of the day negated in the 73rd minute. 

All total, eight different IUPUI players contributed to the team's 12 attempts. Allbaugh led Wright State with five attempts off the bench. 

IUPUI held Wright State without a corner kick in the second half while earning five of their own. In fact, nearly 23 percent of the Jaguars' possession came in the the final 20 yards and 55 percent of the team's run was on the attacking half. 

The Jaguars will continue their Horizon League slate on Wednesday, Mar. 24 when they trek to Milwaukee for a 2:00 p.m. Eastern kickoff. That match is slated to be broadcast on ESPN+.