Two second-half goals led the Lee University men’s soccer team past Union University 3-1 in the regular season finale on Sunday afternoon at the Ray Conn Sports Complex. The Flames featured three different goal scorers to imprive their record to 8-5-3 overall and 5-4-2 in Gulf South conference play. Union’s season came to an end with a 3-10-2 record. The Flames will be the #7 seed in the upcoming GSC tournament.
Lee didn’t waste any time getting on the scoreboard. Jordan Durante was fouled 10 yards outside the penalty box in the fourth minute. Marc Ehmann then calmly stepped up to the free kick and blasted a shot from long distance into the lower left corner of the net to give Lee the 1-0 lead.
Two second-half goals led to the Flames victory over Union, Sunday.
A few moments later, Durante and Marcos Garcia each had close shots, but Union’s goalkeeper Botomd Nemeth made two great saves to keep the ball out of the net.
The Flames kept pressure most of the first half earning six corner kicks but couldn’t find another goal. Union slowly found some possession and scored the equalizer in the 44th minute on a goal from Jacob Blue.
Both teams had several opportunities early in the second half, but both goalkeepers made saves to keep the game level. Then with 24 minutes left, a mistake from Lee’s defense led to a fast break from Union, but Jakob Buhrkuhl made another big save in goal for the Flames to deny the goal.
The save from Buhrkuhl gave the Flames a spark as the deadlock was finally broken in the 69th minute when Marc Ehmann’s corner kick found Matias Siems who headed it into the back of the net to give the Flames a 2-1 lead. Lee added a third goal four minutes later in the 73rd minute when Ruben d’Hollosy slipped a pass to Fabian Navaro who dribbled around the Union goalkeeper and walked the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-1.
The Flames tied their season high in shots taken with 25 and tied the season high with shots on goal with 12. Union only managed to take six shots with four on goal. Lee had seven corner kicks in the game and committed nine fouls.
The Flames will go on the road to start postseason play. They will head to Livingston, Ala. for the quarterfinal round of the Gulf South Conference tournament. The Flames will take on the University of West Alabama who they tied 1-1 back on September 15. Lee and UWA will battle on Sunday, November 5th at 4 PM EST.
