DUE WEST, S.C. (Sept. 14) – After surrendering a goal in the 84th minute, the University of Mount Olive men's soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision at Erskine on Saturday afternoon in Conference Carolinas action.
With the loss, the Trojans fall to 0-3 overall with a 0-1 mark in league play. Mount Olive has dropped all three games this season by one goal and will return to Amon Field for consecutive home matches. Meanwhile, the Flying Fleet improves to 1-1 this season behind a 1-0 record in conference play.
In the first half, UMO produced an early opportunity in the second minute of the match, as junior
Colby Thompson fired a shot on goal which was stopped by the keeper. Senior
Guilherme Semola just missed the goal in the 29th minute with a header hitting the side-netting off a cross into the box. Both sides featured limited chances through the majority of the half with a total of four shots attempted, all by Mount Olive.
The Flying Fleet nearly found the go-ahead goal in the 59th minute with a pair of shots on goal that were saved by senior goalkeeper
Axel Engren. Later in the second half, sophomore
Babacar Fall peppered a shot to the near post on the right side of the box, but the attempt was saved by the goalie at the 80:29 mark. Following a turnover just behind midfield, Erskine quickly got on the counterattack and scored the eventual game-winning goal by Leon Bird off an assist from Andreas Aspris in the 84th minute, 1-0. Just moments after the kickoff, the Trojans appeared to find the equalizing goal, but the officials raised the flag for offside.
Engren finished the contest with a pair of saves on four shots faced in 90 minutes of action.
Mount Olive held a 10-4 edge in shots while also totaling a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Trojans return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 17, when they host Shaw at Amon Field in a non-conference game at 7 p.m.
