Courtesy of Newberry College Athletics
NEWBERRY — The Newberry College men’s soccer team suffered its first setback of the season on Saturday, dropping a 2-1 final to Carson-Newman in South Atlantic Conference play at the Smith Road Complex.
Carson-Newman struck just 88 seconds into the match, but Newberry responded with a wave of pressure, outshooting the Eagles 19-15 on the afternoon. Goalkeeper Charlie Clark kept the Wolves within striking distance with seven saves, including five in the first half.
After Carson-Newman doubled its lead in the 85th minute, the Wolves found life in the closing moments as Brayden Martinez scored off a throw-in scramble in the 88th minute for his first goal of the year. Newberry nearly equalized in the final minutes, but a penalty kick in the 86th was denied by the Carson-Newman keeper, sealing the result.
With the loss, Newberry moves to 4-1-1 overall and 1-1-1 in SAC play, still off to one of its strongest starts in recent years. The Wolves will look to regroup quickly as conference play continues next week.