MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Sept. 2, 2015) â€" The Milligan College men's soccer team overcame a two-goal deficit in the first half and nearly did the same in the second, but wound up on the short end of a 4-3 decision against Cumberland University Wednesday under the lights of Anglin Field.
 
After falling behind 2-0 through the first 17 minutes of the contest, Milligan (0-5) responded quickly with goals from Zana Ali in the 18th minute and Tapiwa Kaseke in the 21st. Ali's goal, the first of his Milligan career, was set up by junior Ryan Reilly's miss that required saving from Cumberland's Bennet Strutz. Ali gathered the rebound and cut the lead in half with the Bulldog keeper out of position.
 
Less than three minutes later, Andrew Grimes obliged Kaseke with a ball that left the team's 2014 leading goal scorer with only one defender to beat. Kaseke did just that to make it 2-2. Grimes then nearly put the Buffs into the lead in the 33rd minute when he played a ball into the box that glanced off the crossbar for a miss.
 
Cumberland build its lead back up to two goals with a late first-half strike by Elliot Goodwin, assisted by Tom Reilly, and a 72nd-minute goal from Alex Marr, assisted by Brian McNamara, who scored the Bulldogs opening goal in the fourth minute, and Sella Gannot.
 
Much like they did in the first half, the Buffs responded well to the disadvantage, applying pressure and pushing the attack. In the 85th minute, it paid off as Ali played a ball over the top that found Colson behind the Cumberland defense. Colson took the pass off his head and down to his feet, then buried it into the back of the net to make it 4-3.
 
Milligan outshot Cumberland 15-14, including 11-8 on shots on goal. The Buffs also had the advantage in corner kicks at 4-3.
 
In the Milligan net, sophomore Brandon May made four saves, one of which was a one-hander that came in the 25th minute and helped keep the match level at 2-2. Nick Smith tended the goal over the last 15 minutes and made one save, while Strutz recorded eight saves at the other end.
 
Milligan will play nearby Tusculum College on Saturday, Sept. 5, in Greeneville before returning home for Johnson University on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 6:30 p.m.