OWINGS MILLS, Md.– Eastern University Men's Soccer dropped a 2-1 decision at Stevenson University in the MAC Commonwealth opener for both teams. The Eagles scored first to grab a 1-0 halftime lead, but the Eagles were unable to hold off a second-half surge from the host Mustangs. All three goals came off corner kicks.

The Eagles (3-6-1, 0-1) opened the scoring just after the midpoint of the first half after earning a corner kick on the left side. Jake Morales bent a tremendous ball to the back post. Derek Buhrman smashed a header into the top of the net for his second goal of the year.

The Eagles had a pair of great chances to double the lead, but Stevenson goalie Nolan Olsen-Warwick was equal to the task on both occasions. The first great chance late in the first half on a ball served in from the right side. Buhrman won a header at the top of the box and flicked the ball toward the penalty box. Tommaso Garavaglia bounced a volley toward the right left upright, but Olsen-Warwick parried the ball away and the Mustang defense cleared the rebound.

The second opportunity came nine minutes into the second half and involved the same two players. This time, the serve came from the right and Garavaglia skipped a header into the scoring area. Buhrman met the ball with a solid left-footed volley to force the Stevenson goalkeeper into a great reaction save.

After that effort, the Mustangs began to build pressure and started to gain possession and field position. While the Eagles cleared ball after ball, that push paid dividends for the hosts with a corner kick from the right side at the hour mark. Ty Bleiler met the original serve in traffic, but was unable to hold the wet ball. The Eagles made an effort to clear, but the ball bounced off a Stevenson attacker and back into the middle of the goal mouth. The Eagles blocked the first shot from Saul Martinez, but he was first to the rebound and knocked home the equalizer.

Nine minutes later, the Mustangs found the lead after another corner. The Eagles cleared the initial serve from the box, but not out of the attacking zone. The Stevenson defender kept the ball in and pushed a pass into wide space on the left flank. A good serve from the left side caught the Eastern back row reorganizing and Stevenson forward Logan Ruth met the ball in the middle of the box with a left-footed shot.

The hosts continued to push, but as the match moved into the final fifteen minutes Eastern began to press into the Mustang end with serves into the box. Late in the match, Emmanuel Hewitt had a threatening shot from distance after an under-hit clear from the hosts. The Eagles had three players in onside position with a chance to redirect, but the ball slipped over the enplane for a goal kick.

"We started flat today but got a goal from a superb corner-kick sequence," Head Coach Glodi Konga said after the match. "We played into their hands in the second half by committing too many fouls in our half, and we paid the price for it.  However, we gained some momentum towards the end but couldn't pull one back. We have several days to rest and regroup."

The Eagles return to MAC Commonwealth play with a game at Widener University on Wednesday. They will play at home against Hood College for Homecoming this Saturday.