HENDERSON — The Freed-Hardeman University men's soccer team had a signature win on Saturday night at the Josh Riley Soccer Complex with a 2-1 win over the Cumberlands Patriots. The win was the first for the Lions in six tries against the Mid-South Conference opponent and moves the Lions record to 8-4-4 (2-3-1 MSC) on the season heading into the conference tournament.
The festive night started by honoring eight seniors on the Lions team including
Edgar Hernandez (GK from Memphis),
Balsa Medenica (DEF from Budva, Montenegro),
Hugo Luque (defender from Jerez de la Fontera, Spain,
Paolo Sparks (MF from Alcala de Henares, Spain),
Tanner Thompson (DEF from Mt. Juliet),
Jorge Martinez (DEF from Alamo) and
Cole Shipley (DEFÂ from West Plains, Mo.). Â
After the festivities, the Patriots (6-6-4, 2-2-2 MSC) started quickly and scored in the fourth minute off a header from Leandro Nico Romero Protto who finished the header on the back post after it was headed across goal by Jannes Kuhn and Jesus Macaya on the corner kick. The Lion gradually found their footing and scored the equalizer off a penalty kick from
Evans Osei Amankwah who carefully put the ball in the left corner of the net at 24:01. Â At halftime the shots were even with four for Cumberlands and three for FHU.
In the second half, the Patriots upped the pressure on the lions and took nine shots to the home sides two but it was the shot from FHU that decided the match in the 64th minute.
Henry Appiah linked up with
Sam Sebagabo for nice one-two down the right wing and Appiah drove the cross into the back post where substitute
Alex Wright slid into finish home what would be the game winner in the 65th minute. A flurry of chances from the Patriots would come late in the match but were either saved by
Gaspar Bourdon or went wide. Bourdon had a stellar game between the pipes with five saves. Fouls were even with seven for FHU and five for the Patriots. UC had eight corners to two from FHU. Cumberlands outshot FHU 13-5, including a 6-3 advantage on shots on goal.
FHU soccer coach Jason Elliott said of the win, "I'm really proud of the guys tonight for them to play a very good Cumberlands team and finish the regular season strong. This team has really improved all year and bought into what we have tried to tell them about a brotherhood and playing for each other. Our seniors have really made an amazing improvement in our program and they deserve all the credit for this it was a special night."
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The Lions now will regroup and head to the first round of the conference tournament next week where they will line it up again across from the Patriots in Williamsburg, Kentucky.
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