KISSIMMEE, Fl.--- The No. 9 seed Asbury men's soccer team (10-7-3) scored two goals but came up short in the opening round of the National Christian College Athletics Association (NCCAA) National Tournament in Kissimmee, Fl., against the No. 1 seed Carolina University (12-2-2) on Monday afternoon, 3-2.
The match opened with promising momentum for Asbury as MBA student
Austin Dunlap (5) scored the first goal of the match in the fourth minute, igniting an early lead. Dunlap now has three goals in the last four matches.
However, the top-seeded Bruins from Carolina responded with consecutive goals, turning the tide with three scores in the 24th, 37th, and 50th minutes. Asbury senior
Cameron Johnson (5) managed to bring the Eagles within one off an assist from
Nick Eller in the 71st minute, but it wasn't enough to clinch victory.
Asbury junior goalie
Crosby Short, had a busy day at the net, making four saves against 15 shots from Carolina. AU offensive press also came from
Dalton Fleshood,
Jason Flaming, and
Ryan Kim each putting a shot on goal. The sophomore
Aiden Fish played 90 minutes defensively for Asbury alongside Short.
The game statistics highlight a closely contested battle, with both teams having seven shots on goal. The overall shots were slightly in favor of Carolina, 15-14.
A close match throughout 90 minutes saw both teams commit nine fouls each, and AU forward
Nick Eller received the only yellow card of the event. Asbury managed to score both the first and the last goal of the game, showing their continued perserverance throughout the game.
The Eagles, now standing at a record of 10-7-3, look ahead to their next matchup in the NCCAA National Tournament against Southwestern Christian on Tuesday at 3 pm in Kissimmee, FL., at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex.
"The boys fought hard today and until the end. Unfortunately, we couldn't climb our way out of the hole. They did really well in moments, but at this level the fine margins are pivotal. We look to bounce back tomorrow against a good Southwestern Christian side."
Noah Welch | Asbury Assistant Coach
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Austin Dunlap | Goal (3rd in four matches, 5th on the year)
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Cameron Johnson | Goal (5th on the year)
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Nick Eller | Assist (3rd on the year)
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Aiden Fish &
Crosby Short | 90 Minutes
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Ryan Kim,
Dalton Fleshood,
Jason Flaming | SOG
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