BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – Milligan University's men's soccer team competed in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament Semifinal on Saturday afternoon on the campus of Union Commonwealth University in Barbourville, Ky. After trailing by one goal at the halftime break, the Buffaloes could not find an equalizer and allowed two more goals by the Bulldogs in the second half. The MU season came to an end in a 4-1 defeat.
Union Commonwealth struck for the first two goals of the contest on their home pitch, as 11th and 27th minute tallies gave the hosts a commanding early lead. Milligan closed the gap to just one goal in the 38th minute, as
Trotter Jones converted off a feed from
Javier Salgado to notch his fifth goal of the campaign. That is where the score would stay as the teams entered the half. Despite earning the goal late, the Buffs were outshot 11-2 in the half, but just 4-2 in shots on net.
In the second half, UCU slammed the door on the Buffaloes. Milligan would take only one shot in the entire half, failing to get it on frame. On the other side, the Bulldogs scored on two of their four attempts in the half, scoring in the 80th and 84th minutes to clinch a trip to the AAC Tournament Final.
To conclude the contest, Union took 15 shots to Milligan's three. It was a 7-2 edge for the hosts in shots on net. The only two shooters for the Buffs were Jones, who scored the goal, and
Freddie Zinn. Jones scored on his lone shot, while Zinn took the other two, with his one on goal being saved during the first half.
Sergi Cruz made a trio of saves on the day, while allowing the four Union goals. His season record fell to 10-6-3 in his first year at Milligan.
Though they claimed their sixth straight season with double-digit wins, the Buffaloes' (11-6-3, 5-5-2 AAC) season has come to an end. They were unable to earn the conference's second automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships, reserved for the AAC Tournament champion or runner-up (if the tourney and regular season champion are the same).
