Eagles and Bears play to scoreless draw
October 7, 2023

Eagles and Bears play to scoreless draw

Playing the final 73 minutes of the match with a player advantage, Carson-Newman (4-3-3, 2-2-2) was unable to score a go-ahead goal against Lenoir-Rhyne (2-4-4, 2-2-3), as the two teams played to a scoreless tie Saturday night at McCown Field.

VIDEO: Stephen Lyons Interview

VIDEO: Federico Simonetti Interview

VIDEO: Highlights

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Playing the final 73 minutes of the match with a player advantage, Carson-Newman (4-3-3, 2-2-2) was unable to squeeze across a go-ahead goal against Lenoir-Rhyne (2-4-4, 2-2-3), as the two teams played to a scoreless tie Saturday night at McCown Field.

Lenoir-Rhyne extends its unbeaten streak against Carson-Newman to five games, with a draw coming for the second straight season. C-N does remain unbeaten at home this season, now 2-0-1. The scoreless draw is the second this season for Carson-Newman.

"When you play that long with the extra player and have the kind of dominance that we had, it definitely feels like a loss," Carson-Newman head coach Stephen Lyons said. "Myself and the guys are disappointed. We'll go back and reflect on what we need going forward. We talked before the game about being clinical in the final third when we get opportunities. I thought we had enough opportunities to win the game, but give Lenoir-Rhyne credit as well. They were disciplined, organized, managed the game in the right manner for their needs and I think they just frustrated us."

Things changed early in the match, late in the 17th minute, LR defender Harri Rowe provided a dangerous and vicious slide tackle of a C-N player that forced the official to show Rowe a red card. The Bears would be forced to play a man down for the final 73 minutes of the match.

C-N wasted no time threatening goal after the red card, firing four shots in the next six minutes of gametime, all of which missed goal. The Eagles got their first shot on goal in the 31st minute. Mitchell Honcoop worked his way into the box and fired a shot that forced a Juan Basabe diving save to his right.

Maybe Carson-Newman's best chance to score all night came in the 35th minute, as Thomas De Graaw rocketed a shot from more than 20 yards outside the box that Basabe just barely flicked over top the crossbar and out of play. LR had one shot on goal and it came in the 40th minute from Jaheim Smith, but Federico Simonetti (Crema, Italy) was ready on the nearside post to make the save.

Lenoir-Rhyne got out to a fast start to begin the second half by recording the first three shots of the half but all missed the target. All three of C-N's shots on goal in the second half came in a three-minute stretch. Ben Dukes sent a pair of shots on frame that were saved by Basabe. The final look came from Nic Carsh (Newberg, Ore.) who dribbled into the box and fired a ball right at the center of goal for Basabe to handle.

C-N recorded just four shots in the final 25 minutes of the match and just one corner kick. LR's only chance on goal in the second half was in the 84th minute, as Adrian Martina shot a ball from outside the box that Simonetti controlled.

The clean sheet was the fifth this season by Carson-Newman and third by Simonetti this season. He has three shutouts in five starts. Playing in his first match in nearly a month, he needed to just make two shots in the tie.

"I honestly believe that we are always working very hard," Simonetti said. "As a defense and goalkeeper unit, no matter who is in the game, we are a big family and try to support each other. That's a really good thing and it helps us stay in the game."

The Eagles outshot the Bears 17-8 and 5-2 on goal. C-N managed four corners to LR's one. Dukes and De Graaw led C-N with five shots a piece in the scoreless tie.

Smith and Omaysi led LR with two shots each. Basabe made five saves and recorded his second shutout of the year.

C-N returns to action on Wednesday afternoon with a conference match at Lincoln Memorial, starting at 4:00 p.m.

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