BREVARD, N.C. – The Brevard College men's soccer team (8-4-1, 3-1-0 USA South) fell in heartbreaking fashion, conceding a last-minute goal to NC Wesleyan University (6-5-1, 3-1-0 USAS) on Saturday afternoon at Ives-Lemel Family Field. The defeat marked the first for BC in conference play, and the Tornados' first in 10 matches following a nine-match unbeaten streak.
Brevard fell despite outshooting the Battling Bishops 11-6 in the contest. The match was highly-contested, with 32 fouls called between the two sides and a total of seven cautions issued.
Matheus Rossi (8-4-1) made four saves for the Tornados in the defeat. Three Tornados attempted three shots apiece, with Estevan Berto, Luis dos Santos, and Daniel Morgan each firing three shot attempts. Ryan Lynch and Berto took BC's only two shots that found the target. NC Wesleyan was able to win six corner kicks in the contest to BC's one.
Kfir Peretz found the game-winner in the 90th minute of action, as a free kick was given with only 38 seconds remaining on the clock. Augustin Belgiorno lined up the spot kick from over 30 yards away and whipped a ball toward the far post that was flicked on by the head of Mika Lommers towards the near post, where Peretz was waiting to tap it in and send the visitors home happy.
BC's dos Santos took a good chance at goal in the 15th minute of play when Sam O'Callaghan whipped a cross in from the near side of the field, however dos Santos' attempt at directing the pass toward goal went out right of goal from point-blank range.
The Tornados had another quality look at goal in the 35th minute as O'Callaghan once again played in a cross from the near side of the field, but Morgan's header went out left as the two sides went into the halftime intermission scoreless.
Berto took a chance on a free kick early in the second half of play but was turned away by NCWU's Fred Rogers. Each side took one shot apiece over the next 10 minutes before both teams went nearly 20 minutes without a shot attempt. Berto took a shot that was blocked in the 77th minute followed by Rocco Barbon's header attempt that went wide. BC continued to apply the pressure with three more shot attempts. However, the Battling Bishops created one last chance at goal in the match's final minute after being awarded a free kick, and the visitors capitalized as Peretz finished the game-winning goal.
The Tornados will look to bounce back with a non-conference matchup at home vs. Warren Wilson College on Wednesday, October 19 at approximately 8 p.m., following a preceding women's soccer match.
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-BC-