HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Central Arkansas men's soccer team went into the jaws of a nationally ranked opponent Sunday night, and despite what the score said, held its own for much of the match, falling 3-0 to No. 12 High Point.
The Bears (0-4-1) held firm on the defensive side except for a few moments, and unfortunately, against a ranked team, that's sometimes all it takes. Offensively, the Bears had chances, especially off the foot of
Devonte Richards, and
Omar Atia gave his side chances with early crosses from the left wing, but goals continued to elude a talented Central Arkansas team.
High Point pressured early in the match, earning several corner kicks, but the Bear defense was ready and repelled the early threats. On the counterattack, Atia delivered a strike that forced a save, but the match remained scoreless through the first 15 minutes. High Point continued to press forward until finally breaking through in the 20
th minute, establishing a 1-0 lead.
Central Arkansas pushed forward, looking to equalize. Atia continued bombing in crosses from the left side, but unfortunately, they'd either pass through harmlessly or be cleared by the Panthers on the other side. High Point was able to parlay the lack of offensive consistency into another goal shortly before half, taking a 2-0 advantage into halftime.
Out of the break, Central Arkansas threatened with a corner kick and two free kicks early in the second half, but the High Point defense collapsed and kept the opportunities smothered. On the other side, the Bear defense misplayed a clearance on the goal line, allowing a Panther to come in and add to the lead in the 56
th minute. The Bears tried to increase the offensive output, logging several shots over the next ten minutes, but the High Point defense was on top of it and in position to keep the clean sheet.
Neither side was able to find the back of the net over the final 35 minutes, and Central Arkansas heads to Charlotte on Wednesday for the next match. Kickoff against the 49ers is set for 6 p.m. CT.
