Men’s Soccer claims AAC Championship with homecoming victory

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (October 29, 2022) – The Milligan University men's soccer team captured its Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) regular season championship as the Buffs defeated Johnson (Tenn.) 3-0 on homecoming and senior night.

The Buffs ran their unbeaten streak to 12 games and advanced to 9-2-5 and 9-1-3 in AAC play. The Buffs topped the AAC regular season standings with 30 points. Johnson falls to 2-14-1, 0-12-1. Since the formation of the AAC in 2000, Milligan has now won the men's soccer title six times (2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2020 and 2022). Milligan will make its third-straight appearance in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round and its fourth national trip overall.

Milligan controlled the game in the opening moments and recorded three shots in the first six minutes of action. However it was Johnson in the 13th minute who had the top early scoring opportunity. Ludvig Wille prevented the goal with a kick save.

The Buffs scored the game's opening goal in the 23rd minute when Greg Anderson connected with Mate Lengyel for his fourth tally of the season.

Luke Bennett sent a rocket from just above the 18-yard box that nearly caught the top right corner of the goal but sailed wide. He had another attempt on a cross that zoomed past the right post in the 37th. He had a left-angled free kick that was tipped right over the goal in the 41st.

With under three minutes left in the half, Asa Blake collected a bobble by the Johnson keeper and centered to Hayden Grubb. Grubb's shot was stopped by the recovering Johnson keeper and the Buffs were unable to attempt a shot off the rebound.

At the half Milligan owned a 17-1 edge in shots and a 9-1 margin in shots on goal.

Anderson cashed in on a give-and-go with Edward Burgos in the opening minute of the second half. Anderson approached from the left side, centered to Burgos, who poked it back to Anderson who fired a low shot in for his eighth goal of the year.

Burgos nearly added another score less than two minutes later as his point-blank attempt at the left post was denied.

A handball in the box resulted in a penalty kick for Milligan, but Bennett's attempt missed the right corner high and wide.

Elies Simo had a point-blank header on a long throw denied in the 56th minute and soon after Anderson had an open-goal chance thwarted by a defensive save by a Johnson back-liner.

Carter had a pair of near scores with headers in the 68h and 69th minutes. He hit the post after a corner kick in the 74th.

Milligan finally found the back of the net for a third time in the 85th minute. Blake found a recently checked-in Anderson who slotted in his ninth goal of the season.

The Buffs outshot Johnson 35-3 (21-1 SOG). The Buffs recorded 11 corner kicks on the evening.

Milligan owns the top seed in the AAC Tournament and will host the No. 8 seed in the tournament quarterfinals next Friday evening at 7:00 p.m.