Mishawaka, IN – In a top-15 clash, #4 University of the Cumberlands men's soccer team earned a gritty 1-0 road victory over #11 Bethel Saturday afternoon. The Patriots got the breakthrough goal from newcomer Luca Piazza early in the second half, while keeper Javiero Izquierdo Cuervo recorded four saves to secure the clean sheet.

The Pilots generated early pressure, earning three corners and forcing Izquierdo into action in the 13' on a shot from Luca Canto. Cumberlands responded with chances of their own, as Mario Fernandez Garcia and Ja-Son Whyte each placed shots on target, only to be denied by Bethel goalie Maarten Schouten. Antonis Seraphides added another quality look in the 43', but the contest went into halftime knotted at 0-0.

Just five minutes into the second half, the Patriots found their breakthrough. Vanja Jopunovic created space in the attacking third and slipped a pass to Piazza, who fired it past Schouten in the 51' for the 1-0 advantage. The goal marked Piazza's first for UC and shifted the momentum in favor of the Patriots. Cumberlands continued pressing forward, recording eight shots on goal in the match. Champalloux, Whyte, and Dolobaipu each tested the Bethel keeper, but Schouten tallied five saves to keep the hosts within reach. The Pilots pushed forward in the closing minutes, but Izquierdo was steady in the net, making two crucial saves in the final seven minutes to preserve the Patriots' first win of the year.

Both teams finished with 11 shots apiece, while UC held an 8-5 advantage in shots on goal. The Patriots earned five corner kicks to Bethel's seven, while Izquierdo collected four saves for the shutout. The match saw 19 fouls overall, with UC whistled for 10 and Bethel for nine.

Cumberlands returns to the pitch at the UNOH Invitational in Lima, OH, as they face Westcliff on Thursday, August 29. The match is slated for 1:00 p.m.

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