BERMUDA RUN, N.C. – Carolina University Men's Soccer continued its winning ways Thursday evening, opening Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) play with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Florida College in the opening match of the CAC Classic at Truist Sports Park.
With the victory, the Bruins improved to 9-2-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, continuing their strong season under Head Coach Craig Golding.
Carolina wasted little time establishing its offensive presence, creating several scoring opportunities throughout the opening half. The Bruins broke through in the 26th minute when Kyryl Dmytryk found the back of the net off an assist from Mateo Echevarria, giving Carolina an early 1-0 advantage. The goal marked Dmytryk's seventh of the season.
Florida College responded just before halftime, as Victor Montes scored with two seconds remaining in the opening period off an assist from Benjamin Brake, sending both teams into the break tied at 1-1.
The Bruins came out of halftime with renewed energy and quickly regained control of the match. Just over two minutes into the second half, Sonny West delivered the eventual game-winning goal in the 48th minute, finishing a pass from Tlotlo Lekobane to put Carolina back in front, 2-1. The goal marked West's third of the season.
Carolina's defense held strong throughout the remainder of the contest as Florida College pushed for an equalizer. Goalkeeper Andre Rojas Chavez played all 90 minutes in net, while the Bruins' defensive unit made several key stops to preserve the one-goal advantage.
The Bruins finished the evening with a 14-11 advantage in shots, including five shots on goal. West led Carolina with four shot attempts, while Dmytryk added three shots, all on target. The victory gave Carolina an important opening win in CAC competition as the Bruins look to carry their momentum through the remainder of the conference schedule.
Head Coach Craig Golding on the victory:
"We knew coming into conference play that every match was going to be a battle, and tonight was no different. I thought our guys responded really well after giving up a goal right before halftime. We came out in the second half with the right mentality, found an early goal, and showed the determination needed to finish the match. Getting that first conference win is important, but we know we have to turn around quickly and be ready for another tough opponent tomorrow night."
Up Next
Carolina University will conclude the CAC Classic on Friday, October 16, when the Bruins host Fisher College at Truist Sports Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. as Carolina looks to remain unbeaten in conference play and continue building momentum heading into the remainder of the season.
