DEMOREST, GA. - Berea men's soccer team traveled to Piedmont College for their season opener. The Mountaineers and Lions played back and forth for the majority of the first half, but the inexperience of the Mountaineers' backline came back to bite them in the end, as they lost 5-1.
In the first half, the Mountaineers and Piedmont played a very back and forth game, with Piedmont registering 8 shots and the Mountaineers 7. However, the inexperience of the Mountaineers' young backline was exposed towards the end of the first half with the Lions scoring two quick goals. In the 38th minute, Evan Saylor was able to score a goal from a free kick just outside the box. Then in the 43rd minute, Ricardo Ruiz was able score a goal past Brandon Rado from the top of the box thank to a cross from Lule Tekilemariam.
In the second half the Lions continue to press the Mountaineers backline, pushing the ball to the final third with relentless pressure to start the 2nd half. The Lions were finally able to break through with the 2nd goal fo the game for Ricardo Ruiz, assisted by Matthew Loftin. The Mountaineers were finally able to break through the Lion's defense on a counterattack in the 57th minute, scored by Max Jr. from a cross by Junior Gyamfi. However, the momentum came to a crashing halt for the Mountaineers, with the Lions cashing in two more times. First through a penalty-kick, which was taken by Evan Saylor for his 2nd goal of the game at the 71st minute. Then again in a strong individual effort by Maia Jallow, who made an impressive run from midfield in the 83rd minute to score.
The Mountaineers were able to hold their own for the majority of the 1st half, but after the backline of the Mountaineers became exposed, the floodgates for the Lions' opened up. In the 2nd half the Lions outshot the Mountaineers 13-1 to end the game with a 21-8 advantage. Brandon Rado faced 16 shots, 8 on goal, and recorded 5 saves in his first colligate start.
Up next, the Mountaineers will be back on the road against LaGrange College on Sunday, February 28th at 2 PM.
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