SAVANNAH, Ga. – The SCAD men's soccer team went toe-to-toe with nationally-ranked Milligan University on Wednesday night, but a late strike in the final minutes proved the difference as the Bees fell 1-0 at Memorial Stadium. The match was moved from the SCAD Athletics Complex due to field conditions.
The Bees showed composure and confidence from the opening whistle, dictating possession and keeping Milligan pinned in their own half for stretches of the first period. SCAD's back line, which has been a consistent strength through the early part of the season, once again set the tone with disciplined positioning and well-timed challenges. The defensive unit of Daire Russell, Tim Rothe, Paul Brophy, and German Moreno limited the Buffaloes to just two first-half shots.
While SCAD enjoyed long spells of possession, clear scoring chances were harder to come by before the break. The Bees produced several half chances, including efforts from Sebastian Gomez and Moritz Prattes, but Milligan's defense ensured that goalkeeper Adria Alles was rarely tested in the opening 45 minutes.
The second half saw SCAD grow into the game with renewed attacking urgency. Moreno, returning to the lineup following a red card suspension, provided energy and width from the right back position, frequently surging forward to spark attacks down the flank. Midfielders Leon Grube and Nils Vallotto also impressed, stepping into expanded roles to help carry the midfield workload in the absence of suspended teammate Mario Goic.
Substitute forward Kimi Husler gave the Bees an additional spark, stretching Milligan's back line and getting on the end of service in the box. He nearly connected on a header that drifted just high as SCAD pushed for the opener. The most dangerous chance of the evening came minutes later through Grube, who fired from close range only to see Alles deny him with a point-blank save off his chest.
Despite SCAD's consistent control of the second half, Milligan capitalized on a rare moment of space in the 86th minute. A long volley from 20 yards out by striker Kerim Akpinar soared into the top corner, leaving SCAD goalkeeper Noa Sonntag with no chance and putting the Buffaloes ahead 1-0.
The Bees responded by throwing numbers forward in the closing minutes and carved out two more looks on goal, including a strike from Vallotto that was stopped and a late effort from Russell that Alles smothered. Ultimately, SCAD's relentless work rate and commitment to attack were not rewarded on the scoreboard as the Buffaloes escaped with the narrow victory.
SCAD finished with a 9-6 advantage in total shots, including seven in the second half, and controlled much of the possession. Sonntag recorded one save in goal, while Alles made two crucial stops for Milligan to preserve the clean sheet.
With the result, SCAD moves to 0-3 on the season, while Milligan improves to 1-0-1. Despite the outcome, the Bees will take confidence from their ability to compete with a top-25 opponent and will look to carry that momentum into their next matchup.
