BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— Behind an early strike and two decisive second-half goals, the Milligan University Buffaloes defeated the Montreat College men's soccer team via a 3-1 final Wednesday night at Pulliam Stadium. Following the result, the Cavaliers fell to 3-9-1 overall and 2-5-1 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) action, while the Buffs improved to 8-3-1 (7-2-0 AAC) this season.
Early momentum shifted to the visitors as the Buffaloes capitalized on extended possession with the match's initial tally just 8:33 into the contest. The Cavs responded with defensive efforts, including several saves by
Frankie Zavala, most notably in the 13
th, 31
st and 37
th minutes.
Montreat's offensive opportunities included a corner kick by
Predrag Grbovic during the 15
th minute and a shot on goal by
Ethan Grasso near the end of the half, which was saved by Milligan's goalkeeper. Despite those efforts, the hosts concluded the first frame with a 1-0 deficit.
The second half began with Montreat quickly looking to shift momentum, earning a corner kick merely 50 seconds after play resumed. Milligan found the match's second goal in the 51
st minute, which resulted in the Cavaliers continuing to press forward. That persistence eventually paid off when Grasso found the back of the net in the 60
th minute. The Charlotte, N.C. native's fourth goal of the season came off a nifty back-heel flick from
Emmanuel Ntimeh, and it narrowed the gap to 2-1.
As the match progressed, the Cavs maintained pressure, creating several opportunities; however, Montreat was unable to convert on its additional attempts. Meanwhile, the Buffs extended their lead with less than eight minutes remaining, making the score 3-1 in their favor. Despite efforts to answer, the hosts were unable to alter the score further, closing the period with the same deficit.
"Milligan was a good team, and the guys worked really hard," said assistant coach
Adam Lund. "I thought we played better in this match than some games we've won this season. It's encouraging to see where we've come from earlier on in the year, and I'm excited to see how much higher we keep going."
Overall, Milligan ended the match with more shot attempts (18-7), shots on target (9-3) and corner kicks (7-3). Both sides registered 10 fouls and picked up two yellow cards.
Grasso contributed a goal while converting both of his shot attempts into tries on frame. Zavala recorded six saves over the course of the match, notching three stops in each half. Ntimeh provided his first assist of the year, helping to set up the squad's best scoring opportunity of the night. Grbovic registered three shots, with one of those being on goal.
Looking ahead, Montreat hosts Tennessee Wesleyan University on Saturday, Oct. 11, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. at Pulliam Stadium in Black Mountain, N.C.
