DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance men’s soccer team couldn’t find any rhythm in its attack on Saturday, October 6, as it was defeated by the Rose-Hulman Fightin’ Engineers 2-0 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference action. The Jackets move to 1-11-1 (1-1-1 HCAC), while the Engineers improve to 7-4-2 (3-0 HCAC).

Play began slow as control for the ball went back-and-forth between the squads. Neither could really get any of its sets going, which led to a stagnant first 15 minutes. After the teams started feeling each other out, Rose got some momentum with a few shots at the net.

Then in the 35th minute, the Engineers drew up a play that got the ball into the box and Rose’s Drew Belk drained it into the back of the net for a 1-0 visitor’s advantage.

Rose-Hulman kept the pressure on with three more shots in the next few minutes, but DC kept them out and headed into intermission only down 1-0.

In the second half, much of the same continued, as the Rose came out with the more aggressive attack. The Defiance defense could only hold out so long, but the Engineers found a crack and exploited it, as William Senat got past his defender and knocked in another Rose score.

The deficit was then 2-0 for DC and the team couldn’t recover. Rose ran out the clock by playing keep away and headed home with the road victory.

Defiance returns to play on Wednesday, October 10, when it travels to North Manchester, Ind. for a battle with the Spartans. The game is set to begin at 4 p.m.