MOUNT OLIVE (Oct. 29) – In an exciting second half that featured four goals scored, the University of Mount Olive men's soccer team dropped a 3-2 decision against Barton at Amon Field on Wednesday night in Conference Carolinas play.
With the loss, the Trojans fall to 4-5-4 overall behind a 3-3-4 mark in conference action. Barton sweeps the season series over Mount Olive with both sides entering the contest in the top-six in the KPI rankings. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs improve to 7-3-2 this season with a 4-3-2 record in league play.
Barton built a 1-0 advantage at the 16:24 mark as Toby Brown was left unmarked and delivered a header into the back of the net off a corner kick from Gabriel Slemer Lopes, 1-0. Mount Olive responded with four corner kicks and a trio of shots, including one on goal from senior
Christen Lugo-Elibox in the span of 20 minutes. The Bulldogs managed two shots in the final minutes to take a one-goal lead into the break.
In the second half, the Trojans produced four shots in the initial five minutes before Barton extended the lead to 2-0 on a header scored by Yuki Minari off a cross to the far post from Hayden Summerfield in the 54th minute. UMO found an answer at the 59:06 mark after a turnover was forced by junior
Juan Gonzalez-Gancedo before senior
Greg Boko scored at the near post to cut into the deficit, 2-1. In the 73rd minute, Barton reestablished a two-goal lead off a header from Blake Grove, who scored at the far post off a cross from Jeremy Alvarez. Mount Olive once again responded at the 82:13 mark with a goal from freshman
Rami Bayoumi, the first of his career, off an assist by Gonzalez-Gancedo, 3-2. The Trojans totaled three shots in the final three-plus minutes, but Barton held onto the victory.
Senior goalkeeper
Axel Engren finished with one save on 12 shots faced while playing all 90 minutes.
Mount Olive held a 17-12 advantage in total shots and boasted a 6-1 edge in corner kicks.
The Trojans finish the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 2, when they travel to face Francis Marion in divisional play at 3:30 p.m.
