Alex Horton
The 11th-ranked Bryan College Lions Men’s Soccer Team traveled to Thomas University (Ga.) on Saturday for The Sun Conference Men’s Soccer Game of the Week, featuring a top-15 showdown with the Thomas Night Hawks, but the Lions made easy work of the No. 12 team in the country. Bryan got on the board less than 15 minutes after kickoff and held on for a 1-0 lead heading into the half. In the 60th minute the Lions extended their advantage to 2-0. Thomas narrowly escaped a blanking as they found the back of the net with only 10 minutes remaining in the contest, but an insurance goal by Bryan at the 87-minute mark ended all hopes of the Night Hawks as the Lions handed them a loss in their season opener.
The win improves Bryan’s overall record to 2-0.
Despite Thomas outshooting Bryan in the opening period 7-2, the Night Hawks struggled to find a shot on target as the Lion’s patience paid off. Aaron Attree, a freshman from Norwich, England, is already proving to be an impact player for Bryan after dishing out an assist in the Lion’s season opening win against Bob Jones University (S.C.) and recording both a goal and assist in today’s victory over the Night Hawks. Attree helped the Lions strike first with a cross into the box that connected with Charlie Clarke who corralled the pass, took aim, and netted his second goal of the year for a 1-0 lead at 13:25.
As the second half got underway, Bryan went on the attack and at 60:59 the Lions grew the lead to 2-0. This time around, Attree was on the scoring end of the play as Jason Ward slotted a cross directly in front of the goal. Attree made the correct adjustments and his positioning was rewarding as he sent a strike past Thomas’ keeper for his first career goal as a Lion.
Twenty minutes passed before the Night Hawks caught a break. Following an attack by the Lions, Thomas countered and capitalized on a cross. It was Leo Thompson who headed in the goal for the Night Hawks, cutting the deficit to 2-1 with 10 minutes left in the game.
The Lions had the opportunity to rest their starters after the comfortable lead, and Bryan Head Coach Drew Courtney put the fresh legs back on the pitch in the final minutes, which resulted in Jonathan Ricketts finding Brad Spooner for his team-leading third goal of the season, securing a 3-1 win for Bryan.
For the game, Thomas outshot Bryan 13-12 but it was the Lions who landed eight on target compared to the Night Hawks’ five. Alex Horton stood tall in the goal for Bryan and allowed just one goal while gathering four saves. Spooner was a prominent problem for Thomas with five shots taken, four on goal, and one that found the back of the net. Attree’s lone attempt was a score, and Clarke’s goal came after two shots that were both on the mark. The assist Ricketts notched against the Night Hawks is his second this year.
Thomas was just the first in a three-game stretch of top-ranked teams that will test the Lions. “Thomas did a good job of making us think and work, but our guys adapted well and played well,” said Coach Courtney. “We have a lot of areas to mature in, but each game we are growing.”
Bryan’s next stop will be in Hattiesburg, Miss. Aug. 28 at 5pm as they go head-to-head with 7th-ranked William Carey University.