Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the first time in program history, the Belmont University men's soccer program has won four-straight home matches. More importantly, however, the Bruins began Southern Conference action with a 1-0 victory over visiting East Tennessee State University Saturday evening at E.S. Rose Park.
Thanks to sophomore midfielder AJ Chastonay's second goal of the season in the 72nd minute courtesy of senior midfielder/defender Jack Shaw and senior midfielder/defender Esteban Lestido, Belmont (4-2-1, 1-0-0) claimed its third one-goal shutout of the fall.
Now unbeaten for five consecutive matches, the Bruins got another masterpiece from senior goalkeeper Drew Romig, who finished with a career-high tying seven saves, and found a way to break through in the second half. Winning its second-straight SoCon opener and remaining undefeated in league openers since joining the seven-team conference in 2018, Belmont held off a Buccaneer attack that had scored three goals against nationally-ranked Lipscomb.
Visiting ETSU (2-3-1, 0-1-0) outshot the Bruins 11-8, including 8-4 in the opening 45 minutes of play, and held a slim 6-5 margin on corner kicks but Belmont had timely opportunities.
Senior forward Liam O'Brien provided the Bruins their first chance of the night in the 12th minute with a swift kick, and moments later Belmont nearly got on the scoreboard with a strong boot from senior defender John Bannec off a corner followed by a close shot by Chastonay on the rebound. In the 30th minute, the Bucs had perhaps their best opportunity to score when reserve Rayhan Carlson-Du Toit sent a ball just over the crossbar following a right-side corner kick.
Tallying four shots in each half, the Bruins got a 63rd-minute kick on target from senior midfielder/defender Esteban Lestido before Chastonay found the back of the net. Lestido sent a ball out wide right to Shaw, who then sent the ball into the box for Chastonay to square up his strike into the back of the goal with just under 19 minutes to go.
Held to only three shots in the second half, all of which were on target, ETSU created space for one final jab in the closing seconds. Forward Tarik Pannholzer, who entered Saturday with five goals to his name, wound up a final kick on a breakaway right before the last whistle sounded but Romig calmly punched it out to seal the triumph.
Pannholzer totaled a match-high three shots on goal, while Chastonay recorded a team-high four shots, two of which were on target.
Belmont finished with five shots on goal.
Bucs midfielder Jack Perry was issued a yellow card in the 41st minute and senior forward Niccolo Dagnoni received a yellow in the 64th.
Of Note
The 72nd-minute goal represents the second-latest score in regulation for the Bruins thus far this season. With two goals Chastonay is now tied with Dagnoni and O'Brien for the most goals on the team. He owns seven for his career after leading Belmont with five goals in the spring. Shaw's assist was his second of the season after assisting on O'Brien's dramatic game-winning goal in double overtime against Georgia State. Lestido registered his first assist of the fall and just his second of his five-year Bruin career. Belmont improved to 13-7-3 at Rose Park since the start of the 2018 season and has now won seven of its last nine home matches.
Up Next
The Bruins have a week off from match play before playing outside of Nashville for the first time of the month next Saturday, Sept. 25 when Belmont travels to Furman.
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media - @BelmontMSoccer on Twitter and @belmontmsoccer on Instagram - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
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