McLaren's First Half Goal was Not Enough in AAC Matchup at Union

Barbersville, KY - In a closely contested Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup at Williamson Stadium, the Reinhardt Men's Soccer faced a narrow defeat against the Union Commonwealth Bulldogs with a final score of 2-1.

The match started off strong for the Eagles as forward Luke McLaren managed to put Reinhardt on the scoreboard with a goal at the 34:30 mark, marking his third goal of the season. This early lead, however, was short-lived. As the first half neared its end, Union Commonwealth's Oriol Gásquez Pérez found the net at 43:36, bringing the halftime score to a tie of 1-1.

The second half saw Union Commonwealth taking the lead with Eduardo Ribeiro scoring the decisive goal at 52:58, assisted by Gianni Loska. Despite efforts to rally back, the Eagles were unable to level the scores again. Reinhardt's goalkeeper, Andree Meza, showcased a resilient effort with five saves during the game from seven shots on goal. The match concluded with the Bulldogs clinching the 2-1 AAC victory.

Union stays undefeated in AAC play, staying in second position while Reinhardt falls into ninth position.  The Eagles will need to win their final two games of the regular season to stay in the AAC playoff hunt

Looking forward, Reinhardt's next challenge is set against the Truett McConnell Bears this Wednesday in Waleska at Ken White Field. As the regular season end nears, the Eagles are set to refocus and prepare for their final two contests, holding a record of 3-7-2 overall and 3-5-1 in AAC play.