BELOIT, Wis. – The Beloit College Men's soccer team played their first home game of the season against a tough Wisconsin Lutheran squad. The Bucs fell 3-1 at Strong Soccer Field. Despite the loss, the Buccaneers showed resilience and flashes of offensive potential, particularly in the second half.
The Warriors (1-1-1, 0-0-0 NACC) got on the scoreboard early, netting the first goal just 2:26 into the game. The Warriors proved to be a persistent threat throughout, securing two more goals via a penalty kick at 49:25 and another at 61:04.
Beloit's defense, led by goalkeeper David Staats (Meridian, ID) who recorded 5 saves on the day, managed to hold strong for periods, but the Warriors' offensive pressure was relentless. WLC registered 13 shots in the game, with 8 on target.
The Buccaneers, however, were not without their own chances. They outshot WLC with a total of 19 shots (5 on target) and earned 5 corner kicks to the Warriors' 3. Key offensive players for the Bucs included Juan Calzada (Madison, Wis.) and Hunter Nelson, who both contributed multiple shots. Nelson broke through for the Buccaneers in the 89th minute, scoring Beloit's sole goal of the game with an assist from Santiago Gomez (Marietta, GA).
The Buccaneers will look to build on their offensive efforts and tighten up their defense as they continue the season. They travel to Joliet, Illinois on Saturday to face the Fighting Saints of the University of Saint Francis. Kick off is set for 6 p.m.
