NASHVILLE, TN. – The Jacksonville University men's soccer team traveled to Nashville, TN on Saturday night to face Lipscomb in their first conference game of the season.

The Dolphins (3-2-1) fell to Lipscomb by the final score of 1-0.

"We will learn and grow from this game," commented Head Coach Mauricio B. Ruiz

Freshman midfielder Mason Tunbridge quickly got off the first shot of the night at only three minutes into regulation. Sophomore forward Inti Antunez, who is recognized as the Hodges Mazda Player Of The Game recorded a pair of shots as well in the first half. The first came at 21:22 as a result of a failed attempt by Lipscomb that was scooped up by sophomore keeper Matt Levy. After a deflected corner kick by Lipscomb Antunez found the ball and a wide-open field ahead of him. Charging down the field Antunez outran the Lipscomb defender to take a shot on the left side of the goal that was then stopped by the Bison keeper.

In the 34^th minute Lipscomb got on the board with a goal scored by Ruben Pedersen assisted by John Wynia.

In the final seconds of the first half, as JU progressed the ball down the field Jose Manzo tried to tie the game with a shot from the midfield that went just wide of the net. Jacksonville entered halftime trailing the home team 1-0.

The Dolphins, who wasted no time came back in the second half eager to tie the game and recorded three shots in a four-minute span. Junior forward Jose Manzo got a shot off at 51:40 and Antunez came back in the 54^th minute to fire off a header from a crossed ball that rang off the crossbar. Less than one minute later senior forward Kai Bennett fired the ball right into the Lipscomb keeper.

JU continued to dominate the second half outshooting Lipscomb 8-3.

In the 64^th and 67^th minute junior midfielder Steven Saunders and senior forward Jesus Colombo each recorded a shot. Freshman midfielder Jake Duncan-Smith tried in the 76^th minute to tie the game for Jacksonville with a powerful shot that soared over the net. In the 85^th minute junior midfielder Connar Lufkin and Duncan-Smith fired two more which would be the last of the night.  

"We created enough chances to win the game. We just didn't take advantage of it. Credit to Lipscomb for making it tough to break them down," Ruiz concluded.

The Dolphins will see action next on Saturday night when they host Stetson at Southern Oak Stadium in their second ASUN game at 7 p.m..