MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Millsaps men's soccer team (2-4-2, 0-1 SAA) put up an intense battle in their Southern Athletic Association opening match, but would fall to Rhodes, 2-1 at Hutchison School on Saturday. 
 
Freshman Ellis Dykes led the way for the Majors with his first collegiate goal, while contesting three shot attempts with two shots on frame. 
 
Senior Kade Folse (one shot on goal), junior Hogan Payne and freshman Harrison Williams all registered one shot attempt. Junior Fisher DeCamp finished the day with two shots and one on goal. 
 
Junior goalkeeper Michael Hamauei had a great performance against the Lynx, where he tallied a season-high 10 saves. 
 
Rhodes (6-2, 1-0 SAA) outshot the Majors, 24-8 and held a 12-4 on-target advantage. However, Millsaps held a 6-4 advantage on corner kicks. 
 
Only 59 seconds into the first half, Rhodes would net the first goal of the match. 
 
The Lynx then saw a missed kick hit the crossbar at the 13th minute before Dykes would post an opportunity for the Majors. 
 
The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native narrowly missed a kick with his foot in the 17th minute, but was stopped by the Lynx keeper. 
 
Looking to extend their lead, Rhodes would garner a shot only to be snagged by Hamauei in the closing seconds of the opening half. The Lynx would go into halftime leading, 1-0. 
 
In the second half, Rhodes would create a 2-0 lead over the Majors three minutes in. 
 
However, at the 56th minute Dykes would begin to turn things around for Millsaps as he recorded his first collegiate goal, cutting the deficit to 2-1. 
 
Hamauei also stepped up and made three straight saves in the following five minutes of action. 
 
The Millsaps keeper made his final save of the match in the 75th minute. However, the Majors would push for the equalizer. Dykes (84th minute), DeCamp (86th minute) and Williams (86th minute) fired a series of shots, but Rhodes held. 
 
DeCamp's shot forced one final corner kick and Williams' shot went just wide on the ensuing chance. Rhodes would claim the match, 2-0 in the SAA matchup on Saturday. 
 
The Majors will be back in action at Harper Davis Field and face Tougaloo College on Tuesday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Live video and live stats will be available at gomajors.com. 
 
 
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps men's soccer program follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com. 
 
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.