BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— The Montreat men's soccer team hosted a physical Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) battle with the Bryan College Lions on Saturday night, conceding a pair of goals en route to a 2-0 loss in Black Mountain, N.C. Following the Cavaliers' defeat, their record fell to 2-4 (1-2 AAC) on the year.
 
In a first half that featured 13 combined fouls, nine of which were committed by the visitors, the Cavaliers and Lions took turns surging up the pitch to create goal-scoring opportunities. While the Lions reached halftime with a slight edge in shots (9-8) and corner kicks (3-2), the contest's initial 45 minutes were fairly even between the two teams.
 
Ricardo Araujo owned the Cavs' top look in the initial frame, but his center-of-the-box look in the 37^th minute was sent high over the crossbar. Meanwhile, the Lions capitalized on their best chance to take a lead into the intermission.
 
Bryan (1-3-1, 1-0 AAC) struck first in the 38^th minute after Cesar Castro's initial strike hit the woodwork. Ricocheting off the left post, Stephan Moreira quickly pounced on the bouncing ball in the 18-yard box. Dribbling toward the center of the penalty area, Moreira dumped off a short pass to Castro, who squared up his strike and blasted the opening tally into the Montreat net.
 
The visitors continued their aggression early in the second frame, leading directly to their second goal in the 62^nd minute. Off a giveaway in the midfield, the Lions surged up the right flank and into the attacking third. Marcelo Martins slipped a pass to Castro in the right corner of the 18-yard box, who then redirected the feed to Moreira at the penalty spot. With one dribble to his left, Moreira fired a shot past a lunging Marius Braedstrup-Holm in net to double the Lions' lead.
 
Araujo registered Montreat's first shot of the second half in the 71^st minute; however, the Cavs' comeback hopes shifted drastically from there as the hosts picked up a red card in the following minute, forcing them to play the final 18 minutes with 10 men.
 
A native of Lisbon, Portugal, Araujo came close to putting Montreat on the board in the 85^th minute by forcing a diving save from the Bryan goalkeeper, but the Cavaliers' breakthrough never came. Up a man, the Lions saw out their 2-0 lead to the match's conclusion.
 
Bryan held edges on the Cavs in shots (16-11), shots on goal (6-4) and corner kicks (5-4). The two teams combined to commit 36 fouls, nine yellow cards and one red card.
 
"Tonight was a tough loss," said head coach Michael Bruce. "Our team fought hard until the final whistle despite the adversity against us. I was proud to see them group together and fight."
 
The Montreat men's soccer team hits the road for some midweek conference action on Wednesday at Columbia College. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Columbia, S.C.