CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Looking at possible extra time in a contest that remained scoreless into the closing minutes of regulation, Queens University of Charlotte pulled off a 1-0 upset win over the nationally 25^th-ranked Limestone College men's soccer team with a goal in the 88^th minute on Sunday, September 8.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Queens (N.C.) 1, No. 25 Limestone 0
Records: Queens (N.C.) (1-0), No. 25 Limestone (1-1)
Location: Sports Complex at Marion Diehl Park
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Graduate midfielder Roberto Ortega Lopez (Cuenca, Spain) led the team with three shots
• Graduate Raphael Bartmann (Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany) also posted three shots
• Junior midfielder Tristyn de Laaf (Dubai, UAE) added a pair of shot attempts
• Sophomore keeper Austin Gunnels (Clover, S.C.) finished with two saves
• After scoring three goals in the season opener, the Saints only placed two shots on goal tonight
• Limestone edged Queens 9-8 in shots, but the Royals finished with a 6-4 margin in corners

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Half
 
Neither team had many looks at the cage in the early going as the first shot attempt of the evening came from Limestone at the 14:22-mark off the foot of de Laaf. Ortega Lopez would place a shot on frame in the 26^th minute, but it was hauled in as the contest remained scoreless over the first 30 minutes of play.
 
Late in the opening half, de Laaf would get another shot off for the Blue and Gold before a corner kick by the Royals led to their first shot of the night in the 41^st minute. However, Gunnels would punch the ball away before a Saints defender cleared the ball as the teams went into the break deadlocked at zero.
 
Second Half
 
Queens fired two quick shot attempts early in the second, both of those sailing wide right, before a look at goal by the home team was blocked in the 57^th minute. For the Saints, Bartmann placed a shot on frame a few ticks later before Ortega Lopez hooked an attempt left of the far post to keep things scoreless.
 
The Saints were mere inches from taking a late lead as graduate defender Nacho Reigada (Oviedo, Spain) headed the potential go-ahead score just over the crossbar in the 71^st minute. Bartmann then had the best look in regulation for the Blue and Gold, but his shot bounced off the post in the 84^th minute.
 
With the contest apparently heading for extra time, the Royals had different plans in the closing minutes as a David Alvarez headed a ball into the upper right hand corner off a corner kick from Michael Hornsby, stealing the 1-0 win in the 88^th minute. The Saints would not enough time left on the clock to equalize.      
 
TURNING POINT
 
With the contest stuck in a scoreless deadlock, the Blue and Gold had a couple of chances in the late going to plant the go-ahead score. However, an attempt by Bartmann hit off the iron, and Queens would sneak in the game-winner in the 88^th minute to hand Limestone its first loss of the season.
 
NOTABLES
 

• The Saints dropped a match to Queens for the first time since 2006
• Limestone had a 12-match unbeaten streak snapped, going 10-0-2 during that stretch
• The Blue and Gold had not conceded a goal over the first 177 minutes of the 2019 season

 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone will continue its five-game road trip to open the season as it travels to take on super regional opponents Florida Southern and Florida Tech next weekend – it will be the program's first meeting against both clubs. The Saints take on the Mocs on Friday, September 13 at 7 p.m.