Box Score by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C.–The Barton College men's soccer team had numerous opportunities in its match with Tusculum College Tuesday night, ringing the post on three of its 21 shots, but it was the Pioneers who cashed in a chance with 1:13 to play to claim a 1-0 non-conference win at the Barton Outdoor Athletic Complex.
Tusculum (4-7) received a free kick after a Barton foul just outside the 18-yard box. Roberto Pimentel took the shot, firing it over a wall of Bulldog defenders and hooking it past Barton keeper Vasily Yakimkin just inside the left post for the game-winning goal.
The loss ended a four-match winning streak for Barton, dropping the Bulldogs to 5-6-1 on the season.
Despite playing the match without Dante De Luca, the Conference Carolinas co-leader in points, who was out with an injury, the Bulldogs were certainly not short on scoring chances. Jovan Gracia hit the post with a header in the 17th minute, Kevin Strassburger struck the pipe from close range in the 65th minute and Gracia struck the post again with a header off a corner kick from Erik Pajunk with five minutes to go.
Barton also had a golden opportunity denied in the 73rd minute when Tusculum keeper Victor Ohlin deflected a Danilo Matos shot from the left wing, and a follow-up from in front of the net by Archer Bane that sailed high.
Despite the 21 attempts by the Bulldogs, only four were on target, and all were stopped by Ohlin, who recorded his first win of the year in four decisions. The Pioneers recorded 15 shots, six on frame, and five were saved by Yakimkin.
The Bulldogs enjoyed a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks, but could not convert the opportunities into goals.
Tusculum ended a three-match losing skid with the win, while Barton dropped to 1-5-1 at home this season. The Bulldogs hit the road again for their next two contests, starting Saturday at North Greenville University. Match time is 3 p.m.
