Bisons secure point in 1-1 draw with Louisville
Lipscomb men’s soccer earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Atlantic Coast Conference’s University of Louisville on Tuesday night at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex.
The Bisons struck first, with sophomore defender Baxter Hurt scoring in the 57th minute off a corner kick assist from William Kennedy. The Cardinals quickly answered in the 62nd minute with a goal from sophomore defender Olayinka Ogunleye, assisted by sophomore midfielder Leon Kondic. Lipscomb sophomore goalkeeper Alex Kara recorded five saves to secure the draw, while Louisville Junior goalkeeper Alex Svetanoff made two saves.
“We just have a belief that we’re gonna go and win every game,” said Hurt, the goal-scorer. “We went out there and we played our game. We didn’t let them impose their will, and I mean, It’s just a great team effort tonight. Just really proud of the boys.”
The Bisons’ first goal was a direct result of emphasizing dead-ball situations in practice. The successful set piece was critical in establishing Lipscomb’s tempo against the nationally competitive Cardinals.
“Getting some contributions off set pieces, in the corner kicks specifically, is something we’ve been working on and being close at,” said Lipscomb Head Coach Charles Morrow. “To start having that success, hopefully we can keep that going and remain a threat on those opportunities that we create in games.”
The Bisons discipline was a highlight of the night, allowing them to withstand pressure after the equalizer.
“We go into each game kind of with a set game plan, and no matter who we play, we want to stick to that game plan,” Kennedy said. “Getting a goal against a tougher opponent going up one-nil really gave us a lot of confidence.”
Morrow noted that the draw felt like a step forward in overall execution.
“I think, for the most part… they did pretty good job managing the game. I felt pretty good about it,” Morrow said.
The Bisons will continue their home play, hosting Bellarmine on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex.
