LEXINGTON, Va. -The VMI men's soccer team opened up conference play Saturday night against Radford with a three-game unbeaten streak. However, the Highlander offense was too much for Keydets today as Radford bested VMI 4-0 at Patrick D. Cupp Stadium.

The Radford Highlanders (5-3-0) scored two goals in each half to hand the Keydets (4-4-1) their first loss in four games.

VMI came out strong at the opening kick, and got the first scoring chance of the game when forward Charles Nweke fired a shot wide of the goal. Unfortunately, that was the only shot on goal they would get in the first half.

Radford capitalized with two goals in a span of just over one-minute for the Highlanders at the end of the first half. Will Thomsen scored his first goal of the season from 18-yards away to give the Highlanders the 1-0 lead, followed by a goal by Patrick Colas as he beat VMI keeper Thomas Upton, his second of the season.

Colas struck again just over ten-minutes into the second period with his third goal of the season, and a follow-up shot from a deflection by Ramon Negron, his sixth of the season, iced the game for the Highlanders.

The Keydets fired off seven shots in the game, but were unable to get one past Highlander senior goalkeeper Omar Zinoveev. The Keydets weren't the only ones to have a hard time scoring on Zinoveev, as he now has a league-leading goals against average of 0.44.

The Keydets now must move forward and put this game behind them, for they have eight games remaining, including five of those contests at home. The talented VMI squad has six games remaining against Big South Conference opponents, and has the ability to win all six games.

The Keydets next face hometown rival Washington & Lee College (4-3-1) in the 34th annual meeting of the two squads. The game is being played on W & L's campus on Wednesday, October 5 at 4:00 p.m.

Game Notes:

-Tonight's game was the 17th matchup between Radford and VMI

-VMI won the first game in 1977 in Lexington, 3-1

-VMI goalkeeper Thomas Upton recorded six saves in the game

-VMI has 8 games remaining (5 home, 3 away)

-This was just the first game this season that VMI failed to score a goal