CLINTON, S.C. - A late goal from Luke Ade (Alpharetta, Ga.) started a comeback bid for the Presbyterian College men's soccer team as the squad looked to pull even with visiting Gardner-Webb on Wednesday night, but the rally ran out of time as the Blue Hose fell, 2-1.
PC moves to 1-9-0 on the year and 1-1 in Big South Conference play. Gardner-Webb improves to 4-6-2 overall and 1-2-0 in league action.
Ade potted his second goal of the year in the 83rd minute to cut the Runnin' Bulldogs' lead in half, 2-1. The sophomore led PC with three shots on the day.
Ade found the net thanks to the nifty passing of Byron Quinatoa (Santo Domingo de los Colorados, Ecuador) and Ignacio Monchetti (Montevideo, Uruguay). PC played the ball upfield and a tic-tac-toe play from Monchetti to Quinatoa in the middle of the field set the ball at the foot of Ade, who launched a rocket from the right side into the net.
Monchetti picked up his second assist of the year on the play and Quinatoa notched his first.
Freshman goalkeeper Ethan Watson (Taylorsville, Ga.) made five saves on the night, with four coming in the first half.
Gardner-Webb scored both of its goals early in the first half. In the match's third minute, Jonas Nader finished off a cross from Denzel Clarke and Eric Yeager to put the Runnin' Bulldogs ahead, 1-0.
The visitors then took advantage of a penalty kick from a goal box foul in the 22nd minute. Chris Davis' shot found the right side of the net and Gardner-Webb led, 2-0.
Watson made sure the difference stayed at two when the goalkeeper grabbed the ball off of the foot of Clarke with eight minutes left in the half.
The second half told a different story. PC doubled its shot output from the opening period with four and limited Gardner-Webb to only one shot on goal.
The Blue Hose attack continued to push into the Runnin' Bulldog end and Jared Mitchell (Huntsville, Ala.) created one of PC's best chances of the game in the 61st minute. The freshman outmuscled a Gardner-Webb defender and let loose a shot that narrowly missed high.
PC continued to press, leading to Ade's goal. After the score, the Blue Hose stayed near the Gardner-Webb net with two corner kicks but the Runnin' Bulldogs left with the win, 2-1.
The Blue Hose return to action Saturday with an afternoon matchup against Campbell. PC hosts the Camels at 2 p.m. at Edens Field at Martin Stadium.
