HICKORY, N.C. – Junior midfielder
Tristyn de Laaf (Dubai, UAE) scored two second half goals and the nationally 25
th-ranked Limestone College men's soccer team blanked Lenoir-Rhyne University, 3-0, to pick up a win in the 2019 season opener on Thursday, September 5 at Bears Field.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 25 Limestone 3, Lenoir-Rhyne 0
Records: No. 25 Limestone (1-0), Lenoir-Rhyne (0-1)
Location: Bears Field
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- de Laaf scored twice on a team-high eight shot attempts
- Graduate defender Sebastian Marx (Erlangen, Germany) posted the game-winner
- Graduate midfielder Roberto Ortega Lopez (Cuenca, Spain) added an assist
- Graduate Raphael Bartmann (Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany) chipped in an assist
- Sophomore keeper Austin Gunnels (Clover, S.C.) finished with four saves for the clean sheet
- Lenoir-Rhyne edged the Saints, 12-11, in the shots column and 5-4 on corner kicks
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
The Bears controlled the pace of play in the early stages, enjoying an 8-2 margin in shots attempted over the first 24 minutes of play. However, the Limestone defensive unit held off the early onslaught, getting a couple of nice saves from Gunnels in his first NCAA start, before the visitors struck in the 25
th minute.
Following a counterattack that set up a corner for the Saints, Ortega Lopez delivered a perfect volley to the near post for Marx who would then flicked the ball with a header into the far corner for the go-ahead score. That goal would hold up going into the intermission despite L-R holding a 9-5 edge in shots.
Second Half
The Blue and Gold needed just 73 seconds into the second half to make it a 2-0 contest as de Laaf finished off a through ball from Bartmann for his ninth career goal in the 47
th minute. Less than 10 minutes later, de Laaf tallied he second goal of the period to stake the Saints to a comfortable 3-0 cushion.
Lenoir-Rhyne appeared to have dirtied the clean sheet in the 69
th minute, but an offside flag would negate the goal as Limestone maintained its 3-0 lead. Down the stretch, de Laaf just missed his first career hat trick as his attempt in the 86
th minute hit the crossbar before a shot on frame was saved a few ticks later.
TURNING POINT
The Bears seemed to be clicking on all cylinders in the early going, holding an 8-2 edge in shots over the first 24 minutes, but the Saints would punch home the go-ahead score in the 25
th minute. Limestone would then put the match out of reach early in the second behind a pair of scores from de Laaf.
NOTABLES
- In his third season with the Saints, de Laaf posted his second career multi-goal contest
- Limestone and Lenoir-Rhyne needed extra time to decide the last two meetings
- The Saints shut out the Bears for the first time since 2016, and for the first time ever in Hickory
- The Blue and Gold have won seven straight season openers
UP NEXT
Limestone will stay on the road as it travels to face Queens University of Charlotte in a regional matchup on Sunday, September 8 at 7:30 p.m.