EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Fueled by a goal inside the game's final five minutes, the University of Evansville men's soccer team slipped past Lipscomb, 2-1, in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday evening at Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, Ind.
UE recorded seven shots on the evening with seven different Aces getting involved in the action. Between the posts, senior Hugo Amo made a pair of saves as the Spaniard eclipsed 1,300 minutes in goal for the Aces this season.
The opening half featured much of the possession in the midfield as the Aces and Bisons struggled to mount attacks early on. Through the game's opening 45 minutes, the two sides combined to record just four shots with the Aces recording three in the first half. Neither team put a shot on frame, but Evansville's best opportunity came in the 39th minute as senior Kyle Kimberling crossed a ball into the box that freshman Christian Nyatanga rose up and headed, sending it just over the crossbar.
Coming out of the half, it was clear both sides turned up the intensity of their attacks. It was Evansville who struck first, doing so in the 48th minute. Sophomore Ben Zec dispossessed a Bisons defender of the ball just at the edge of the box and quickly dribbled into the box, crossing it in front of goal and finding a streaking Ace in fellow sophomore Chase Ricker who clipped the ball into the back of the net. The Aces joy would not last long as the Bisons answered less than one minute later after a ball crossed into the box deflected and popped up to Jorge Morjob who volleyed it home to tie the match.
An exciting final stanza saw both sides create further chances to take the lead, but it was Evansville who capitalized on their chance late in the match. In the 86th minute, UE earned a corner kick and sophomore Devin Shepherd whipped in a cross that found a soaring Lionel Williams who smashed a header past the keeper and earned what would prove to be the game-winning goal for the Aces.
Evansville returns to Missouri Valley Conference play with a road contest at Bradley in Peoria, Illinois at 6 PM on Friday.
