Men's Soccer Falls in Season Opener to UT Southern

ATHENS, Tenn.- Shots from a soccer game were flying all over the field on Thursday at the TWU Athletic Complex. The men's soccer team played their first game of the regular season on the field, hosting the University of Tennessee Firehawks in the season opener.

Tennessee Wesleyan dominated early on in the game, forcing a corner kick a minute into the game. Moments later, Bada Sady and Mikkel Leander sent shots to the net in an attempt to score. Kuda Nhiwatiwa, Logan Haricombe, and Cian Gantley all tried to push the Bulldogs ahead but were unable to. In the 38^th minute, the tide changed as the opponents scored, and a shot by Wynand Wessels before the end of the first half went wide, giving UT Southern a 1-0 lead at the halftime break.

Haricombe saw a chance at the goal early in the second half, but it went sailed wide. Over the next several minutes, the teams went back and forth with the defenses standing tall. A foul in the box by UT Southern in the 88^th minute gave TWU a chance at an equalizer as a penalty kick was awarded to the team. Wessels converted the penalty kick into the tying goal, making the score 1-1. Disaster struck a few moments later as the opponents scored a goal with 59 seconds remaining in the game. The Bulldogs were not able to find a second equalizer, falling in the game 2-1.

Tennessee Wesleyan (0-1) returns to the TWU Athletic Complex on Tuesday for a game against No. 9 William Carey University. The game is set to begin at 12:00 p.m.