Men’s Soccer Drops 4-2 Decision vs. Wilmington

NEWARK, DE – The University of the District of Columbia men's soccer team suffered a 4-2 defeat vs. Wilmington University on Saturday afternoon in its final game of the Wildcat Invitational.

The Firebirds (0-1-1) scored one goal per-half, with freshman forward Aaron Noel (Business Management – D'Abadie, Trinidad/Saint Mary's College) forcing a 1-1 tie in the 34^th minute and senior Byron Brown (Accounting – Silver Spring, MD/Pocono Mountain HS) bringing District of Columbia within a goal (3-2) in the 76^th minute.

The Wildcats (2-0), picked to finish 2^nd in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, scored two goals each half, helped along by two goals and an assist by returning All-CACC midfielder Lance Berry.

Wilmington got on the board first when UDC senior goalkeeper Louis Connor got his hands on, but could not haul in, a cross by Jamie Burridge and Berry was there to one-time it for the game's first goal in the 16^th minute.

Noel responded for the Firebirds 18 minutes later, cleaning up a loose ball in the box after a free kick and finding the back of the net to even the score, 1-1. This marked UDC's only shot of the first half as it was out-shot 10-1 in the first 45 minutes.

Just when it seemed like the first half was destined to end in a tie, less than five minutes later, Wilmington's Josh Fawssett headed in a left-footed service by Geoff Velasquez to put the Wildcats back in front, 2-1 with just a little over six minutes left in the first half.

With a frenetic pace to start the 2^nd half, each team fired two shots and a player from both sides was dealt a yellow card before Wilmington opened up a 3-1 lead on Berry's 2^nd goal of the day. Berry, who scored the Wildcats' goal in their 1-0 season-opening victory vs. West Chester, dribbled from the 25-yard line and fired a shot from six yards out, beating Connor for his 3^rd goal of the season.

The Firebirds would continue to battle, out-shooting WU 9-6 in the second half. Finally in the 76^th minute, Brown's rainbow kick sailed over the head of Wilmington goalkeeper Frank Hall, bringing UDC within striking distance with a little under 15 minutes remaining in regulation.

UDC could not find the equalizer though as Wilmington added an insurance goal by Clifford Nwechefom with under three minutes left on the clock and held on for a 4-2 victory.

District of Columbia will take on its 3^rd straight CACC opponent to start the season when they visit Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 9^th at 4 p.m.