CLEVELAND, GA (TMSports) - The Truett-McConnell men's soccer team dropped a conference match with a score of 1-0 to Bluefield College this past Sunday. The Bluefield Rams came out strong offensively at the start of the match, maintaining control over the momentum through most of the first half. 

The Rams took their first shot on-goal in the 7th minute of the game, but Bears keeper Craig Stephenson held strong as he knocked the ball wide with a solid defensive play. With the momentum on their side, the Bears began their offensive strike against the Bluefield defense. An aggressive shot by sophomore Josiah Saydee looked good, but it was no trouble for the Rams goalkeeper. 

Despite a solid defensive effort, the men's soccer team could not keep the Rams offense at bay. The lone goal of the game came within the 22nd minute as the ball was worked down the Rams right hand side and into the Bears box. A defensive error allowed a Rams midfielder to get his head up, giving him the time and space to executively place the ball into the far right corner of the goal.

After conceding a goal, the Bears began to put pressure on the opposition. Saydee came in strong off a pass and took his second shot of the day, but the Rams keeper refused to allow a goal. Bears forward James Serpas looked to even the score as he too took a shot on the Rams goal, but another spectacular save by the keeper left the Bears trailing 1-0 at the end of the first half. 

The Bears charged onto the field at the start of the second half, instantly gaining control of the momentum. Although both Saydee and Serpas remained a threat as they challenged the Rams defense, the Bears were unable to convert the ball. In the 70th minute, Saydee found freshman Houston Kent inside the box, but the unbalanced Kent was unable to get a clean strike on goal. The Bears could not regain control of play for the remainder of the second half, falling to Bluefield 1-0. 

The men's soccer team is currently 4-5 on the season, and 1-2 in conference play. The Bears play at home in their next conference game against the Bulldogs of Union College, set to begin at 4:00 PM on Saturday, October 4th.