VILLANOVA, Pa. –Last Monday, a late penalty kick goal helped lift Villanova past Hartford (2-1). But the soccer fate turned out differently four days later, as a penalty kick awarded to the University of Albany in the 73^rd minute was converted and proved to be the difference in a 1-0 win for the Great Danes (2-1 overall, 0-0 America East) Friday.
 
The Wildcats had controlled play for much of the afternoon, outshooting UAlbany 9-0 over the first 45 minutes and 19-8 for the game.
 
Villanova (2-1-0 overall, 0-0 BIG EAST) nearly took the lead on two separate occasions in the first half.
 
Junior Lyam MacKinnon's bid for a goal bounced off the crossbar in the 20^th minute. Later in the period a header from classmate Viktor Benediktsson eluded Albany goalkeeper Carlos Tofern only to be blocked by a Great Danes defender with his chest.
 
"It's probably unrealistic for us to say we're going to give them zero shots, but I thought in the first half we really did a good job of managing the game," stated Villanova head coach Tom Carlin. "We created chances, our possessions were good and we limited our turnovers.
 
"I thought we did some of that in the second half too. They got some things against us in the run of play. They blocked a lot of shots defensively so credit to them. And the keeper made some big saves."
 
The pivotal moment came at the end of a sequence where the Great Danes were applying pressure inside the Villanova 18-yard box. A battle for a loose ball in front of goalkeeper Carson Williams brought a whistle that awarded UAlbany the penalty kick, which Haflidi Siguroarson put into the left side of the net at 72:33.
 
"It was unfortunate that we got a very questionable call," said Carlin. "I felt like if we had gotten one (earlier), had a little more composure and quality in the final third, it would have changed the whole dynamic of the game."
 
MacKinnon led Villanova with six shots on the cool, fall-like afternoon while freshman Balthi Saunders produced four shots. Williams made two saves in the Wildcats' net.
 
Next up for Villanova is a home match on Labor Day against preseason Ivy League favorite Yale at the Higgins Soccer Complex. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.