Box Score
Box Score (Printable)

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville men's soccer team was shut out for the first time this season Sunday afternoon in a 2-0 loss to visiting Lipscomb at Arad McCutchan Stadium.
 
Evansville (1-2-1) put seven of its 12 shots on goal in the defeat, but Lipscomb (3-0-0) scored a late first-half goal, converted on a penalty kick midway through the second half and got six saves from goalkeeper Micah Bledsoe to post the shutout.
 
In what was an evenly played first half, the Bisons took a 1-0 lead with under a minute remaining in the period, when Luke Gearin put back a rebound off of an initial shot from Omar Djabi.
 
 Lipscomb's scoring opportunity began with a free kick from outside the left corner of the 18-yard box following a Purple Aces' foul.  The service was played into the box, where a UE defender had an initial chance at a clearance, but the ball fell to the feet of Djabi.  Djabi then sent a low, driving ball to the far post that was initial saved by Evansville goalkeeper Eric Teppen, but Teppen could not control the rebound and Gearin was there for the put back.
 
The Aces' best opportunity of the first stanza came in the 34 th minute, when Joel Craig played a long ball over the top of the Bisons' defense onto the foot of Nick Schroeder.  Schroeder was able to take possession in stride and get around Bledsoe, but his shot on goal was cleared off the line by a Lipscomb defender.
 
The Bisons protected their 1-0 lead, before doubling it in the 63rd minute.  Gearin scored for the second time on the afternoon, beating Teppen with a penalty kick into the upper, right corner of the net, after the Aces where whistled for a foul following a hard challenge inside the box.
 
Faik Hajderovic nearly got UE back into the match in the 86th minute, when he beat Bledsoe with a long shot from 25 yards out.  However, Hajderovic's shot deflected off the crossbar and Lipscomb was able to earn the shutout.
 
Mark Anthony Gonzalez and Charlie Macias led Evansville with three shots apiece, with each putting two on goal and Teppen finished the afternoon with four saves.
 
The Aces will be back in action Saturday, Sept. 13, when they travel to St. Louis for a 7 p.m. match at nationally-ranked Saint Louis.  The Billikens entered the week ranked No. 15 in the NSCAA/Continental national poll and fell to Memphis in their lone match this weekend.