DALLAS, Texas – Texas A&M International University men's soccer battled throughout Wednesday night's Lone Star Conference matchup but fell 1-0 to Dallas Baptist University at Patriot Soccer Field.
The Dustdevils (5-8-3, 2-6-2 LSC) generated 10 shots, including five on goal, but were unable to find the equalizer against the Patriots (7-4-6, 3-2-5 LSC).
DBU opened the scoring in the 28th minute, capitalizing on a sequence following a shot from Caden Berg that was initially saved by TAMIU goalkeeper Nicklas Berg-Eriksen. The Patriots converted the ensuing opportunity at the 27:52 mark to take a 1-0 lead.
TAMIU created several scoring opportunities in the opening half. Abner Zuniga tested DBU goalkeeper Sean Mattivi in the 19th minute before Aidan Williams followed with another shot on target just over a minute later. Zuniga added another attempt on goal in the 32nd minute, but Mattivi preserved the Patriots' advantage heading into halftime.
The Dustdevils entered the break trailing 1-0 despite placing three of their five first-half shots on target.
TAMIU continued to apply pressure in the second half, creating an early opportunity in the 52nd minute when Jhon Marulanda's shot was stopped by the DBU defense. Zuniga followed with another attempt in the 58th minute as the Dustdevils searched for the equalizer.
The Dustdevils threatened again in the closing stages, with Rafael Zaic recording two shots in the 74th and 76th minutes. His second attempt was directed toward the bottom-left corner but was denied by Mattivi. Jorge Delgado added another opportunity in the 84th minute, but TAMIU could not break through before the final whistle.
Zuniga led the Dustdevils offensively with three shots, including two on goal, while Zaic contributed two attempts with one on target. Williams, Marulanda, Wade Melville, Kaleth Jimenez and Delgado also registered shots.
Defensively, Berg-Eriksen played all 90 minutes in goal, recording five saves to keep TAMIU within striking distance throughout the contest.
DBU finished with a 13-10 advantage in shots, while TAMIU held a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.
Despite the narrow defeat, the Dustdevils remained competitive throughout the contest, generating opportunities in both halves while limiting the Patriots to a single goal.
Player Spotlight:
Nicklas Berg-Eriksen delivered a strong performance between the posts, recording five saves across 90 minutes of action. The senior goalkeeper made three first-half saves and added two in the second half, helping keep the Dustdevils within one goal throughout the match.
Berg-Eriksen is a senior goalkeeper for Texas A&M International University and is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration. A native of Oslo, Norway, Nicklas is the son of Tommie Eriksen and Hege Berg and was born on December 24, 2003.
