Eagles Lose Scrappy Match at Home With Tennessee Wesleyan

Waleska, GA - In a closely contested AAC soccer midweek game, Reinhardt Men's Soccer succumbed to the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs with a final score of 2-1 on Wednesday evening. The match witnessed steadfast competition between the two teams, unfolding significant plays that kept the pressure until the final whistle. The game proved to be full of intense play as both squads try to get the much-needed AAC win.  There were five yellow and two red cards in the game as both teams scrapped for the AAC win.

The first half was relatively balanced with attempts on goal from both sides. However, it was Tennessee Wesleyan that broke the deadlock with Nicko Bellot netting the ball at the 35:21 mark. Despite multiple efforts to equalize, the Eagles were 1-0 down at halftime. The start of the second half saw Bellot extend the Bulldogs' lead with his second goal at 47:01, making it an uphill task for the Eagles. Making a late surge, Reinhardt University saw a glimmer of hope when forward Evan DeYou scored a key goal at 85:56, courtesy of his own assist earlier in the game.

The Eagles pressed hard in the final twenty-five minutes of the game, trying to get one in the back of the net. DeYou's goal came with just over four minutes remaining in the second half. The Eagles never stopped playing and had small chances of getting the equalizing goal. However, it was not to be as the final seconds dripped off the clock.

Defensively, the Eagles were held steady by left fullback Cristian Gonzalez, who also ventured forward to pressure the Bulldogs and create scoring opportunities. His intensity throughout the game gave the Eagles a much-needed boost in order to stay in the game after going down 2-0.  His play on the left side of the field not only locked down a speedy attacker for the Bulldogs, but he also gave the Eagles a presence on the attacking end, which eventually led to the goal by DeYou. The presence of goalkeeper Andree Meza for the Eagles was critical throughout the game, facing several vital situations against the attacking Tennessee Wesleyan squad.

Meza was able to save two goals in the game from four shots on target.

Looking ahead, the Eagles are set to host the Koalas of Columbia College on Saturday after the football game. Both soccer teams will be the nightcap on what is to be a busy day of sports in Waleska. The Eagles continue to show promising signs of adaptation and resilience under challenging scenarios as the season progresses. The Eagles will need to start stringing together wins to stay in the hunt for postseason play.

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