ATLANTA, Ga. – The No. 25 Lindsey Wilson men's soccer team wrapped up their participation in the NAIA Atlanta Classic with a 3-1 defeat against No. T2 St. Thomas (Fla.) on Monday at the MOBA Soccer Complex.
The Blue Raiders (0-2-2) conceded two early goals due to defensive errors and another midway through the first half. Kenn Muendo provided the team's only goal.
St. Thomas (3-0) struck first in the 6th minute, capitalizing on a defensive misstep by Lindsey Wilson. Niccolas Souza's attempted switch of play was intercepted by Guido Cacciabue, who found himself one-on-one with Hugo Georges and calmly finished his opportunity.
A similar mistake occurred in the 14th minute, this time with a misplaced pass inside the box. Cacciabue intercepted again, dribbled past the defense, and set up Bouget Bouzis for an easy finish. Bouzis added a third goal for the Bobcats in the 26th minute, curling a shot from outside the box into the net.
Despite being ahead, St. Thomas picked up three yellow cards in the first half. The first two were not due to fouls but resulted from disputes with the referee. Their head coach was shown a red card midway through the first half for persistent complaints about the officiating.
Lindsey Wilson midfielder Muendo managed to cut the deficit with a stunning 25-yard strike four minutes before halftime.
At the break, the Bobcats led the shot count 4-1. The Blue Raiders came out with renewed energy in the second half, switching formations and displaying greater intensity. After managing just one shot in the first half, they registered seven in the second period. Both teams finished with eight shots total, three of which were on target.
Lindsey Wilson created a few promising chances but was unable to narrow the gap further as the match concluded.
The Blue Raiders return to action at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, Sep. 5, when they host Georgia Gwinnett, a team receiving votes in the national rankings, at Ray Wells Field at Walter S. Reuling Stadium.
