King drops home opener to Palm Beach Atl.

September 20, 2014

BRISTOL, Tenn. – In what was a very evenly played game, the King University men's soccer team battled with Palm Beach Atlantic University for 90 minutes. The game three goals get tallied, all within a seven minute span as the Sailfish netted the first and the last of the trio of goals to take the contest 2-1.

The Tornado (2-4) received a corner kick in the first minute of the contest, and Chris Hicks ripped the game's first shot, but it was turned away by the Sailfish keeper, Steeven Raymont turned it away in the seventh minute. Eli Carrasco laced another shot in the 13th minute, but it was again stopped.

Palm Beach Atlantic (4-1-1) brought play to the other side of the field late in the half, and their pressure finally paid off in the 42nd minute when Branden Langenberg fed a pass to Modesto Arostegui in the middle of the field. Arostegui then ripped a laser into the left side of the net to put the Sailfish ahead.

It didn't take long for the Tornado to answer as Luis Alonso carried the ball down the right side and ripped a shot that glanced off the post. The bounce was fortunate for the Tornado as the ball ended up on Hicks' foot in the middle of the box and he deposited the ball in the back of the net with eight seconds left in the half to even the score.

The tie didn't last long however, as the Sailfish got on the board in the 48th minute when Tom Gavin took a corner kick that Mike O'Sullivan put a cleat on in mid-air to deflect it into the net for the 2-1 lead.

The Tornado had a couple more shots in the next 10 minutes, the first when Carrasco put a shot on frame in the 52nd minute, and the second when Alfred Schwab laced a shot that was high in the 57th minute.

King's best scoring chance of the second half came in the 77th minute when Hicks found the ball on his foot in the middle of the box. He placed his shot high, but Raymont leaped to grab the ball and keep the Sailfish in the lead. The Tornado couldn't muster and more scoring attempts the rest of the way as the Sailfish took the contest 2-1.

Palm Beach Atlantic outshot King 9-8, and had five corner kicks to King's two.

King will be in action again on Wednesday when they host the University of North Georgia. Kickoff from Parks Field is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.