BREVARD, N.C. – The Brevard College men's soccer team (5-5-3, 5-2-3 USAS) pulled out a 3-2 victory in thrilling fashion, as the Tornados manufactured a game-winning goal in the 87th minute to down the visiting Mary Baldwin Fighting Squirrels (7-10, 4-8 USAS) on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
Freshman midfielder Lucas Campos scored his second game-winner of the 2019 season when the Tornados responded within a minute of Mary Baldwin's game-tying goal. Campos, a freshman from Sao Paulo, Brazi, drove home the game-winner after senior midfielder Matheus Masukawa won possession near the backline. Masukawa's pass was directed to Campos by senior defender Alex Tenjhay for the game-winning strike.
Freshman forward Vinicius Giannaccini tallied a brace on Sunday afternoon, as the Campanas, Brazil native recorded his first two collegiate goals in Brevard's win.
Giannaccini scored his first collegiate goal when Masukawa dished out his first of two assists in the 58th minute, as Masukawa's perfectly-placed cross soared over the Mary Baldwin defense and right at the feet of Giannaccini, who controlled the ball and struck it off a volley with his right foot to beat the keeper.
Giannaccini's second goal came via Adam Spencer's service when Spencer sent a beautiful cross into the near post that found Giannaccini's head. The freshman drove the ball into the back of the net with force, beating Mary Baldwin's goalkeeper Obdulio Argueta.
Senior goalkeeper Patrick Hall (5-5-3) anchored a Tornado defense that withstood Mary Baldwin's strong counter-attack. Hall tallied a total of three saves in Sunday's conference match.
Brevard held a 22-12 shooting advantage that included a 10-5 shots-on-goal margin, as the Tornados doubled the Fighting Squirrels' shots-on-goal total. Head Coach Helio D'Anna's squad won all six corners that were conceded in Sunday's match.
Coach "L", a veteran coach who is nearly through his first season at the helm of Tornado men's soccer, celebrated his birthday on Sunday with a Tornado victory in Brevard's first-ever meeting against the Fighting Squirrels of Mary Baldwin. Mary Baldwin is in its first season of co-ed competition in 2019.
Brevard, who currently sits in third place in the USA South West Division with a conference record of 5-2-3, continues its five-match homestand with a total of three matches in the upcoming week. First, the Tornados host Covenant College in a makeup match from September 14 on Tuesday, October 22 at 4 p.m. The match is part of an action-packed doubleheader at Ives-Lemel Family Field, with Brevard's women's soccer team playing at 7 p.m.
Brevard concludes its 2019 home slate with back-to-back weekend matches. First, BC hosts its Senior Day on Saturday, October 26 at 2 p.m. vs. Berea College. Brevard's last home match is scheduled for Sunday, October 27 at 1 p.m. vs USA South opponent Huntingdon College.
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