The Hagrave Tigers (0-1) opened the season with a loss to the Liberty Christian Bulldogs 2-3 despite a much improved second half performance on Monday. Liberty Chrisitian forward Abass Ayembillah was too much for the Tigers to contain in the first half of play as he scored all of the Bulldogs three goals going into the half.
The match started off with excitement at both ends early on. Hargrave’s Scott Dinius saw the Tiger’s first shot less than a minute into the match from an Austin Newman cross, but pushed the lose ball opportunity just wide from 16 yards out. Seconds later the Bulldogs would find the net from an Ayembillah break-away to have the advantage 1-0 just two minutes into the match. The Tigers saw several more good opportunities early-on, and continued to threaten the Bulldog’s net. Hargrave forwards Dong Eun and Edwin Choi combined well up top for the Tigers, but were unable to test the Bulldog keeper as they both saw several opportunities sail wide.
Ayembillah then made good on his second of the day seven minutes later following his opening goal on an individual opportunity with a strike from nearly 25 yards out to beat Tiger goalkeeper Nathan Bloom for the second time. Ten minutes before the halftime whistle Ayembillah would strike with his third on the day with yet another break-away to give the Bulldogs the 3-0 advantage.
The second half opened with the Tigers once again creating early opportunities on the Bulldogs goal. Five minutes in the Tigers were rewarded with a free-kick just outside the Bulldog’s penalty box after a foul committed against Tiger’s midfielder Tian Yang. Senior captain Scott Dinius finished off the free-kick opportunity to get the Tigers on the scoreboard and give them the early momentum.
The remainder of the second half, though, would result in much of the same missed opportunities for the Tigers. Despite outshooting the Bulldogs 9-3 in the second half it took the Tigers until the 78th minute of play to cut the Bulldogs lead to one. Junior midfielder Kenny Mattimore found Dinius with a quick outlet pass down the right side within the Bulldogs defensive third. Dinius then played a crossed ball along the Bulldog’s penalty box to find junior Mike Dalpini streaking down the left side. Dalpini with a first time hit was able to put the ball on frame deflecting it off a Bulldog defender and into the back of the net. Hargrave, though, was unable to find the game tying goal as time expired.
Bulldogs goalkeeper Georgi Branov recorded six saves in the game including four outstanding saves in the second half to deny the Tigers on several occasions. The Tiger defense played superbly in the second half only allowing three shots and only one shot on goal. Tiger goalkeeper Nathan Bloom finished with four first half saves including two outstanding goal-line stops, and added another superb save to the Bulldogs only shot on net in the second half to keep the Tigers in the match.
