September 28, 2024
Chickasha, OK – The Nelson University Lions men's soccer team opened their Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) season on the road Saturday evening, facing a formidable challenge against the undefeated University of Science and Arts Drovers. Despite a resilient effort, the Lions were overrun by a relentless Drovers offense, resulting in a 4-0 defeat.
Lions Review
The first half saw Nelson University's defense hold strong for much of the opening 40 minutes, with goalkeeper David Calvete Beltran making key saves to keep the scoreline close. However, Science and Arts broke through just before halftime when Dani Suarez found the back of the net at the 44:10 mark, assisted by Fabian Romero. This goal set the tone for the second half, where the Drovers' attack gained even more momentum.
Callum Shepherd doubled the Drovers' lead shortly after halftime, scoring in the 47th minute with an assist from Ewout Groeneveld. Suarez added his second goal in the 60th minute, and Groeneveld capped the scoring with a strike in the 63rd minute.
The Lions struggled to generate offense, managing only three shots, two of which were on target, with John Garcia and Guilherme Ravaneda providing the best scoring opportunities. Nelson's defense was tested throughout the match, with Beltran making 5 saves, but the team ultimately couldn't hold off the efficient Drovers attack.
Next Up
The Lions will look to regroup and find their footing in conference play as they return home to host Oklahoma Panhandle State University on Tuesday, October 1, at 7:00 PM. The Lions aim to secure their first SAC victory of the season in front of their home crowd at the Lions Athletic Complex in Waxahachie, TX.
Nelson University (formerly SAGU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.
