Bisons fall 4-3 to Memphis despite two-goal performance from Yonis Kireh
Despite two-goal performance from junior defender Yonis Kireh and a resilient second half push, the Lipscomb Bisons men’s soccer team fell short in a seven-goal thriller, dropping a 4-3 decision to the University of Memphis Tigers on Tuesday night at Billy J. Murphy Track & Soccer Complex.
The Tigers got off to a flying start on their home pitch, finding the back of the net twice in the opening 11 minutes. In the 6th minute, Memphis junior forward Renan Syrio struck a right-footed shot into the top left corner off an assist from sophomore forwards Miller Lashlee to open the scoring. Just five minutes later, Syrio capitalized again, slotting a low left finish past Lipscomb redshirt junior goalkeeper Alex Kara to quickly push the deficit to 2–0.
Lipscomb turned up the pressure to get back into the match, forcing a foul inside the box in the 25th minute. Kireh stepped up to the spot and calmly converted the penalty kick into the bottom right corner, cutting the Tigers’ lead in half.
The Bisons found their equalizer in the 39th minute following a rapid attack down the flank. Freshman defender Kylian Karsenty tested Memphis junior goalkeeper Mathias Christensen with a low shot, and sophomore forward Mateo Secaira fought for the rebound, driving a right-footed finish into the bottom center of the net to level the score at 2–2 heading into the break.
Memphis reclaimed control early in the second half with back-to-back goals. Senior midfielder Keanan Bader broke the tie in the 52nd minute with a left-footed strike into the bottom left corner following a Lipscomb foul. Six minutes later, senior defender Ethan Cook finished a low attempt off a feed from Syrio to extend the Tigers’ advantage to 4–2 in the 58th minute.
Lipscomb refused to back down and answered back in the 71st minute. Right after a yellow card was issued to Cook, Kireh struck his second goal of the night, curling a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner to draw the Bisons within one at 4–3.
The Bisons pushed heavy numbers forward in search of a late equalizer, generating back-to-back blocked attempts from sophomore midfielder Alejandro Valcarce in the 71st minute. However, the Memphis backline held firm through five minutes of late stoppages to seal the victory.
Kara finished the night with four saves in goal for Lipscomb, while Christensen recorded two saves for Memphis in the win.
The Bisons will look to bounce back as they return to ASUN conference play on the road, traveling to Fort Myers, Florida, to face Florida Gulf Coast University on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Featured Image Courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics
