MILLIGAN, Tenn. – On Monday evening at Anglin Field, the (RV) Milligan University men's soccer outfit commenced their 2026 campaign against an NCAA Division II opponent, Tusculum University. The Pioneers and Buffaloes battled in a tight affair, as the only goal scored in the game came in the second half from a likely source for Milligan, giving the Buffs a 1-0 triumph to open their season. Head coach
Brad Camp earned his first win as Milligan's head man as a result of the effort.
The two sides played to an even 0-0 draw after 45 minutes, as the two sides also had four shots apiece. The lone shot of the half that was on frame for Milligan came via
Marco Lattanzi, who was thwarted on a sharp angle shot from in close to the frame in just the 12
th minute.
In the second half, Milligan came out with their hair on fire earning a shot on net from
Grayson Hammond in the 51
st minute that was narrowly saved by the Pioneers' keeper. In that same sequence,
Harris Lihe controlled the rebound and won the Buffaloes a corner after his shot was deflected beyond the end line. Eleven minutes later, the Buffs broke through, after Tusculum misplayed a pass back to their defense that Lattanzi sniffed out and chased down in the Pioneers' goal box. Then, on his birthday, Lattanzi deposited the ball into the bottom-right corner of the net, zipping it past the outstretched arms of the TU keeper. The 62
nd minute strike would be the only tally in the contest,
A grand total of eight shots were taken by the Buffs, with three of them being on frame. Lattanzi's two shots—one saved and the other resulting in the lone goal—were both on net. Hammond took two shots, missing the target once and having his second shot stopped. Lihe took a pair of shots, as well, and narrowly missed the net both times.
Trotter Jones and
Ilija Dordevic were responsible for the two other shots taken by the Buffaloes, as they each were off target.
Sergi Cruz earned a clean sheet in the first contest that he has played in net as a member of the Buffaloes. He had to stop only two shots in the battle, as they came in rapid succession in the late stages of the second half in the 87
th minute. He stopped the first shot with an outstretched left leg, before swallowing up the second shot with his midsection to stifle the Tusculum threat.
Next up for Milligan (1-0-0) is a matchup with 2025's NAIA national runner-up, the West Virginia Tech Golden Bears. The tilt on Anglin Field will take place on Friday, Aug. 28 at 5 p.m.
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