Lexington, Ky. – The Transylvania men's soccer team was undone by a golden goal in the second period of extra time in a 1-0 loss on Senior Day against the Bluffton University Beavers on Saturday evening at Pat Deacon Stadium.
The loss drops the Pioneers to 2-6-2 overall and 0-3-1 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play, while the win boosts the Beavers' record to 6-4 overall and 2-2 in HCAC contests.
Kicking off their Senior Day with promise and intensity, the Pioneers looked to control possession of the ball and limit their opponents' chances from the opening whistle. Chances were created early and often as Max Nusbacher and Alex Coomes forced close-range saves from the Bluffton goalkeeper as the game remained 0-0 heading into halftime.
Transylvania rallied for the second half as the ball rarely left the attacking half for the final 45 minutes of regulation. The best chance for the Pioneers came in the 83rd minute as Henry Roetker fired a shot at the near post that caromed off of the Bluffton goalkeeper. Mitchell Crispin arrived for the rebound but his effort clanged off the crossbar as game moved towards extra time.
The match shifted in the second overtime as the Beavers earned a free kick in the attacking half in the 103rd minute. The free kick was played into a dangerous area and took an unfortunate bounce into the net to win the game for Bluffton.
The goal came against the flow of the game as the play as the Pioneers outshot the Beavers, 29-10 on the night.
The Pioneers will look to bounce back at home in a fixture against the Mount St. Joseph University Lions on Wednesday, October 13th. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. at Pat Deacon Stadium.
For more information on Transylvania men's soccer, follow @TransyMSoccer on Twitter.
