It was another valiant effort from the Bruins men's soccer team on Saturday afternoon as the team battled the Greensboro College Pride in Greensboro, North Carolina. Unfortunately, a goal from Darli Mihindou in the second half proved to be the difference as the Bruins fell 1-0.
"We put in some hard work today after a quick turnaround," Bruins Head Coach Matt Hotchkin said. "There's full recognition on our team that there are areas where we want and need to improve. One of those areas is the attacking phase of the game. The good news is that these guys are on board together and I'm so impressed with their character to work to achieve this together."
The Bruins came into the match on the heels of another tough loss on Friday night in which the team allowed Guilford College to rally late to win the match 2-1. Still, the Bruins looked to build on their positives from each game as they took the pitch less than 24 hours later.
In the opening minutes, the Pride were able to move towards the Bruins net as crisp passing opened up scoring lanes. The Bruins relied on the prowess of senior keeper Isaac Landry who was again brilliant for the team with five saves in the opening half.
The Pride continued to push the tempo, but Bruins defenders did a good job of matching Greensboro step for step. Despite being outshot 12-1 in the opening half, the Bruins defensive effort was good enough to keep the score 0-0 going into the break.
As the second half began, the Bruins continued to rely on their defensive pressure while hoping their effort would free up space offensively. The Pride continued to pressure the Bruins net and scored in the 53rd minute as Darli Mihindou received a pass from Jordy Briceno and finished the play to give Greensboro a 1-0 lead.
The game took a turn for the physical as both teams were called for a combined thirty fouls over the course of the match. Still, the Bruins tried to get something going offensively but the Pride wouldn't allow any penetration into the attacking third. As a result, the Bruins couldn't find the equalizer as the match ended 1-0.
"Three losses are tough for most teams to handle, but we see the improvement and we know that this is preparing us for life," Coach Hotchkin said. "I'm extremely proud of these guys."
The Bruins were out shot 22-2 (9-1 margin on goal) in the match, with Isaac Landry making seven saves for the team. With the loss, the Bruins fall to 0-3-0 to start the season. Next up, the team will return home as they welcome Truett-McConnell University to Alumni Stadium on Tuesday night.
