ANDERSON, S.C. - Anderson sophomore Martin Brain converted a penalty kick in the 30th minute of action to lift the Anderson men's soccer team to a 1-0 win past nationally eighth-ranked Wingate in South Atlantic Conference action Saturday afternoon at Trojan Stadium.
Anderson (3-8-2, 3-3-1 SAC) won its second consecutive contest and have won four straight past the Bulldogs dating back to the 2010 campaign. Wingate (8-3, 5-2 SAC), which entered the match tied for the league lead, has dropped back-to-back decisions for the first time this season.
After a foul whistled on the Bulldogs following a collision just in front of the Wingate net, Brain drove his attempt low and into the left corner of the net to give the Trojans a 1-0 edge at the 29:34 mark. The score marked Brain's second straight game-winning score, after the 6-foot midfielder also knocked home the winning goal at Newberry three days ago.
Neither team managed a shot until the 13th minute of the match, with AU sophomore Daniel Colvin's attempt sailing wide left of the goal.
The Trojans offensive pressure provided a flurry of attempts midway through the first half, with AU notching three shots in less than two minutes, but each was turned away by the Wingate defense.
The defensive trend continued into the second frame, with neither team recording a shot for the opening 20 minutes of the half.
The Anderson defense made the first-half goal stand up, with Trojan goalkeeper Lukas Hesse garnering a pair of saves, while playing the full 90 minutes. Bulldog keeper Sanjit Kang, who started the match absorbed the loss while sophomore Stephen Harris collected one save in the second half.
The Trojans outshot Wingate, 11-4, on the afternoon, including 7-1 in the first half. AU also held a narrow, 4-3, edge in corner kicks.
Anderson will get back on the pitch quickly, as Flagler invades Trojan Stadium on Monday. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
