Men’s Soccer draws at Union, 1-1

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (September 14, 2022) – The Milligan University men's soccer team played to a 1-1 tie in at Union on Wednesday night.

Both teams are still in search of their victory of the season. Milligan moves to 0-2-3 on the year and 0-1-1 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play. Union also sits at 0-2-3 overall and 0-0-2 in AAC action.

Milligan's top scoring opportunities in the game's first 20 minutes came from back line players. Albert Montragull found an opening up field on the right side in the ninth minute and blasted a shot off the Bulldog keeper but the Buffs were unable to track down a rebound that was loose in the penalty area.

Elies Simo connected on a header from the six-yard box after a corner kick, but the well-struck redirection went directly to the Union keeper.

The Buffs nearly found the back of the net off with Asa Blake and Jett Carter attempting headers off a corner kick by Ethan Bishop in the 32nd minute but Blake's shot was rebuffed and Carter's follow up sailed just high of the crossbar.

In the final minute of the half, Simo created a transition opportunity by intercepting a Union pass around midfield and finding Mate Lengyel at the top of the 18-yard box. Lengyel made a move on a defender but his shot was thwarted by a diving save.

The teams went into the locker room scoreless. Ludvig Wille made four saves in the first half, including two in the first five minutes.

In the opening minutes of the second half, Blake sent a header from the left post toward an open Greg at the right post, but the Union goalkeeper snatched the sure-fire assist on its way to Anderson.

In the 51st minute, Lengyel lined up a free kick just beyond the top right corner of Union's 18-yard box. He launched a ball to the left of the wall and it was redirected off the head of Luke Bennett just off its course and into the back of the net to give the Buffs a 1-0 lead. It marked the first time in five games that Milligan scored the first goal.

Bennett nearly added another tally six minutes later after winning the ball deep in Union territory. He fired from just inside the 18-yard box and the rebound took a fortunate Union bounce away from a lurking Anderson.

Union tied the match at one with 10 minutes to play as a long ball into the Bulldogs' offensive third rattled around and a wide-angled shot from the right found its way into the bottom left corner of the goal for Union's Wiktor Kwiatkowski.

Following the goal, Union attempted to capitalize on the late momentum as the Bulldogs recorded four shots and one corner over the next five-plus minutes, but Wille and Milligan defense prevented Union stealing a late win.

Both teams registered seven corner kicks on the evening. Union had a 17-12 edge in shots but Milligan took nine shots on goal compared to seven for the Blldogs.

The Buffs host defending AAC tournament champion Point Saturday at 7:00 p.m.