PORTSMOUTH – Men's soccer fell to Cumberland University on Saturday, 4-1, on the Shawnee State Turf. The two teams were both held scoreless after a first half that saw them combine for just eight shots but the Bulldogs would erupt offensively with four goals over the final 45 minutes.
The lone goal of the game for the Bears came off a throw-in from Danny Parsons to Connor Sherman for the header finish. Sherman, who was making his first career start for the Bears, was named the Portsmouth Pizzeria Man of the Match following the game for his finish.
After a quiet first half from both offenses, CU got on the board twice just under 10 minutes into the second half. The first goal of the match came in the 53rd minute of play after a mad scramble ensued in the box after a corner kick. A deflected kick found its way onto the foot of Mark Harrison who finished, putting his team up 1-0. Just under two minutes later, the Bulldogs would find their second goal of the match after a pass through the defense put Josh Armstrong with only the goalie to beat and he would do so in the 55th minute to make it 2-0.
The Bears nearly got on the board in the 63rd minute of play as Parsons beat the goalie on the dribble but a strong defense showing from Cumberland's last defender put him in position to make a defensive save and keep SSU off the board.
That play would loom large as Shawnee State would score in the 76th minute to then cut the deficit to one. After a big throw from Parsons, Sherman got in position to finish the Bears' lone goal of the game.
Going from what could have been a potentially tied game had it not been for the defensive stop to a 2-1 deficit, CU sealed the game with a pair of goals in the 85th and 86th minutes of play.
After just five shots for the Bulldogs and three shots for the Bears in the opening half, CU finished with a 24-11 edge in shots for the game. The Bulldogs also had a 10-4 advantage in corner kicks. In goal, Thomas Carbonari stopped nine of the 13 shots on goal for SSU that he faced on the day.
Men's soccer will close out its streak of six consecutive home matches with a meeting with No. 4 Lindsey Wilson next Wednesday. That game will get underway at 4 p.m.
