UTICA, N.Y. -- A drama-filled second half between the Elmira College men's soccer team and Utica College resulted in a heartbreaking 3-2 setback for the Soaring Eagles. The Elmira men (6-3-2, 1-1-1 E8) suffered their first Empire 8 Conference defeat of the season, while the Pioneers (7-2-2, 2-0-1 E8) remained unbeaten in conference play and sit atop the league standings.
 
Utica held a hefty, 21-5, lead in shots and a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal. Corner-kick opportunities were also in favor of the Pioneers, 8-4.
 
Senior Adam Nichols '20 continued his torrid start to the 2019 campaign by scoring on the first shot of the game in the 5th minute of action. A beautiful no-look feed from Jake Meyer '21 split a pair of unsuspecting defenders and allowed Nichols to gain entry into the box. From there, Nichols routinely placed the shot into the right-side netting to hand the Purple and Gold a 1-0 lead.
 
Elmira continued to pressure the Utica defense, which yielded two additional shots. Utica, on the other hand, launched five first-half shots but only three found their way on target, all of which were snuffed out by starting goalkeeper Xavier Townsend '23.
 
The second half got off to a bit of a contentious start as a pair of yellow cards were doled out to Utica's Adnan Bakalovic and EC's Nichols in the 54th minute. The cards were a sign of things to come in the second stanza as a total of seven cards were distributed, but none bigger than the one Nichols acquired in the 61st minute, which sent the senior off of the field for the remainder of the contest and forced Elmira to play with just 10 men.  
 
It took Utica less than four minutes to capitalize with the extra player and tie the game at 1-1 in the 65th minute. While on a full sprint, Patrick Hynes snapped a cross towards the near post, where Thomas Muller volleyed it into the left-side netting.
 
The Pioneers doubled their lead in the 67th minute on a direct free kick from 25-yards out. Following an Elmira foul, Jahren James curled the shot over the wall and into the upper-right corner for the go-ahead goal.
 
It looked as though Utica would run away with today's game, but Elmira showed its resiliency and found an equalizer despite playing down a man.
 
Following a Utica foul deep in its own defensive third, Meyer took the free kick and crossed it into the box. A Utica defender got a body on it but was unable to clear it, as Cameron Sanderson '21 pulled off a bicycle kick and sent the ball across the box to an unmarked Nick Provost '23. From there, Provost snapped a header into the open net for the game-tying goal in the 83rd minute.
 
Elmira's goal seemed as if it would force overtime, but those hopes came to a crashing halt in the 88th minute. EC was unable to clear a corner kick service from Bakalovic and the loose ball leaked out to James in the box, who toed the ball past Townsend for the eventual game-winning goal.  
 
In His Own Words
Head Coach Kevin Brenner shares his thoughts on today's game…
"Today was a tale of two halves. I thought in the first we were completed dominated. However, in the second half – full credit to Utica for bringing more intensity to the game – we were very unfortunate to receive a red card with 30 minutes to play. The players showed amazing character finding the equalizer late in the second half before Utica eventually won it. Very valuable lessons learned today for our young group. We will look to bounce back on Tuesday."
 
News and Notes

• Elmira suffered its first E8 loss of the 2019 campaign.
• EC played with 10 men for nearly the entire final 30 minutes of regulation.
• Nichols scored his team-leading seventh goal and 19th point of the season.
• Nichols' seven goals are second-most within the E8.
• Nichols' 21 points are the most by an EC player since 2015.
• Provost scored his first collegiate goal.
• Sanderson was credited with his first assist of the season.
• Meyer was credited with his second assist of the year.
• Townsend made his 36th save of the season.

Up Next
Elmira will look to bounce back on Tuesday, October 8, when the Soaring Eagles host Wells College in non-league action. The opening kick-off is set for 4:00 p.m. at EC's Campus Field.