Men's Soccer Suffers First Setback of Season at Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – For the first time of 2023, the Belmont University men's soccer team didn't earn a result in a highly-competitive road test Friday night at the University of Memphis. Despite graduate midfielder Jansen Wilson's 20th-minute go-ahead goal, the Bruins (2-1-2) were unable to keep the host Tigers (4-0-1) out of the net during a five-minute stretch and suffered a 2-1 setback at Billy J. Murphy Soccer Complex.
 
In its third-straight match away from the Music City, Belmont was forced to play from behind for the first time of the season after Memphis' back-to-back scores midway through the first half.
 
The Bruins nearly punched in an equalizer late and controlled much of the second half, limiting the Tigers to only one shot on target in the last 58 minutes. All four of Belmont's second-half shots on goal were in the final nine-and-a-half minutes of the match as near-misses from sophomore forward Brock Kiper and senior midfielder AJ Chastonay seemed destined for the back of the net. With a trio of corner kicks in quick succession, the Bruins' first of the night, Kiper nearly converted a shot inside the box before Chastonay's tap right in front of the goal line was barely saved just outside the left post.
 
All of Belmont's corners came in the closing 10 minutes and the Bruins outshot Memphis 6-3 in the second half.
 
In the 20th minute, Wilson received a pass from Kiper following an excellent feed from senior midfielder Michael Saunders and took his defender to the top of the 18-yard box before launching a right-footed strike into the lower right of the goal.

?????????? ???????? ???? ?? ?????????? ???? ?? ???????????? ???@jansen_wilson @NCAASoccer#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/MitX6SZHnf

— Belmont Men's Soccer (@BelmontMSoccer) September 9, 2023

Only a minute later, the Tigers scored on a corner to even the score. Then in the 25th minute Memphis midfielder Eric Primo found forward Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos for the game winner in heavy traffic inside the box.
 
The Tigers totaled 10 shots in the first half, including five on target, and earned a pair of corners in each stanza.
 
Memphis finished with 13 shots, while Belmont tallied 12.
 
Junior goalkeeper Grant Calvert came up with five saves and Tiger keeper JD Gunn made six saves.

?? | Hear what senior midfielder Michael Saunders and head coach @BMSCoachCosta had to say following Friday night's road match at Memphis ???#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/EV9eec2xKT

— Belmont Men's Soccer (@BelmontMSoccer) September 9, 2023

  Of Note
- Memphis improves to 17-1-1 versus the Bruins all-time.
- The loss is Belmont's first true road defeat since dropping a 2-0 decision at Drake on Oct. 15 of last year.
- Wilson's first-half goal was his first donning the Bruin jersey and the fifth of his career. He scored four goals in his first two seasons at the University of Kentucky.
- Kiper's assist was the second of his career and first of the season.
- Saunders collected his team-leading ninth career assist and second of the season.
 
Up Next
Belmont remains on the road next week before returning to E.S. Rose Park and beginning Missouri Valley Conference play next weekend. The Bruins travel to Southern Indiana Tuesday for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Evansville, Indiana. Next Saturday, Sept. 16, Belmont hosts the University of Illinois Chicago.
 
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media – @BelmontMSoccer on Twitter, @belmontmsoccer on Instagram and Belmont University Men's Soccer on Facebook – 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.