Box Score
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Despite an early lead, the LIU Brooklyn men's soccer team fell 2-1 to UNC Asheville on Sunday afternoon at Greenwood Soccer Field. The Blackbirds are now 1-1 on the season.
Redshirt sophomore Naeem Charles had the first shot of the game in the 5th minute, but missed wide. In the 6th minute, an LIU Brooklyn player was given a red card, forcing the Blackbirds to play a man down the rest of the match.
Even with a man disadvantage, in the 23rd minute freshman Rasmus Hansen scored the first goal of the game, his second of the season, with the assist coming from Charles to give the Blackbirds a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Cole Palmer made his first save of the season in the 41st minute when he stopped A.J. Iiames' shot.
Senior Raffi Gregorian had another attempt for the Blackbirds in the 42nd minute, but was stopped by UNC Asheville's Zak Davis. That would be the last shot in the first half, with the Blackbirds leading 1-0 at the end of the period.
Early in the second half, Palmer would make his second save of the game, stopping a shot by Zach Joens in the 54th minute. Joens scored a few minutes later on a free kick just outside the box in the 60th minute to get the Bulldogs on the board and knot the contest
With the score tied at 1-1, freshmen Simen Hestnes and Christoffer Bjarre Solbakken tried to reestablish the lead for LIU, but were unable to find the back of the net in the 66th and 67th minutes.
It was in the 72nd minute that the Bulldogs' Ben Chapal claimed the lead for UNC Asheville. Hansen had two more shots at the equalizer in the 80th and 84th minutes, but could not pull the Blackbirds even.
The Blackbirds led the Bulldogs in shots 9-7 and Palmer finished with four saves.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds will host the First Annual Astroturf Brooklyn Bridge Cup next weekend at LIU Field, in conjunction with St. Francis Brooklyn. Their home opener will be Friday, Sept. 4 at 6:30 p.m. against St. Bonaventure, followed by a match against UMass Lowell on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.