Accurate offense leads Tigers past Bruins in NCCAA Tourney Pool Play

By Press release submission

Dec 2, 2022

The #5 seed Campbellsville Tigers opened up NCCAA pool play against the #8 seed Carolina University Bruins Tuesday afternoon, where their accuracy and offensive fluidity afforded them a 2-0 victory.

The Tigers put pressure on the Bruins early, attacking in the first minute of the game with Sebastiano Musu placing a shot on frame that a Bruin defender denied. Campbellsville continued to press on the Bruins as Musu took another chance that Bruins' goalie William Cothill knocked out of play. Diego Chainho pushed yet another shot on goal to keep the pressure up on Carolina's keeper.

The Bruins earned their first opportunity to score in the 18th minute, but keeper Christian Hauge kept the shot from finding the back of the net. The Bruins applied pressure on the Tigers with a series of throw-ins to get close to the box. Carolina kept the pressure on the Tigers as Hauge picked up his second save off a header from the Bruins' Mario Salinas.

Campbellsville had an opportunity to shoot in the 29th minute as Musu had a breakaway and passed the ball back to teammate Nathan Schmidli. There, Schmidli had his shot taken away by the goalkeeper. Hauge stepped up again in the 31st minute picking up his third save of the match. After that, Samuel Londono was just outside the box looking for the upper left corner of the net, but the keeper caught the ball again. Going back down the opposite side of the field, Hauge made an incredible diving save off a header from the Bruins to keep the match scoreless with eight minutes left in the half.

Carolina and Campbellsville were locked in a tight defensive battle, but the Tigers broke through first. Musu scored the first goal of the match in the 43rd minute off a beautiful through ball from Londono.

At the half, the Bruins had taken seven shots (four on goal) while the Tigers kicked eight (with six on goal).

Campbellsville sustained their offensive fortitude in the second half. An Antonio Quinta shot was on goal but unsuccessful just two minutes in. The ball often remained on the Bruins' half of the pitch, where Quinta got another chance in the 52nd minute. However, the goal saved that too. In the 65th minute, two Bruins tries to get in the net were both wide right. The Tigers waited little time to respond, with Musu going for another goal three minutes later, but it went wide. Again executing their offense effectively, Nico Linari capitalized. He buried a shot into the far post off a ricocheted pass from 25 yards to take Campbellsville up to 2-0. Until the 90th minute, Carolina took four shots: two high, one blocked, and another saved by Hauge. The match ended 2-0.

When all was said and done, both teams took 13 shots, but the difference was Campbellsville putting nine of them on goal while Carolina was less accurate, mustering only five on target.

The Tigers continue pool play Wednesday, where they will take on Cedarville University. That match is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET.