LAGRANGE, Ga. — The Millsaps men's soccer team played tough until the final minutes of action against LaGrange College but fell short late in the second half, 2-1, at Panther Field on Sunday.
Senior Michael Hamauei made seven saves in the match, with five coming in the first half. Freshman Myles Walden scored once on his only shot, which was on target.
Sophomore Ellis Dykes recorded an assist, contributing to the team's offensive efforts. Freshman Myles Walden scored once on his only shot, which was on target. Classmate Raul Blandon managed one shot on goal during the contest as well.
The first half commenced with both teams setting a competitive pace. Hamauei was crucial early, making back-to-back saves against the Panthers at the 16th and 18th minutes to stymie his opponents.
Despite LaGrange's (3-2-5) initial pressure, the Panthers capitalized in the 20th minute with a goal scoring to take a 1-0 lead. Millsaps (5-1-2) responded with resilience, equalizing in the 31st minute when Walden scored off an assist from Dykes.
The match remained level through the remainder of the half, with Hamauei continuing to make significant saves to add defensive pressure on the Panthers. Both teams entered halftime tied at 1-1, setting the stage for an evenly contested second half.
The second half began with both teams making strategic substitutions to set the tone for the remaining 45 minutes. Millsaps' defense, anchored by Hamauei, withstood multiple attempts from LaGrange, including a critical save in the 59th minute right after a shot that hit the post.
Despite the defensive efforts, LaGrange broke through in the 89th minute with a decisive goal to better the Majors, 2-1.
Millsaps pushed for an equalizer in the final 74 seconds, with sophomore Harrison Williams taking a shot in the 90th minute that was saved by the Lions goalkeeper. Ultimately, the half concluded with Millsaps trailing 2-1, unable to level the score before the final whistle.
The Majors will be back in action on Friday to face Centre College in the conference opener at Harper Davis Field, beginning at 5 p.m. Live video and live stats will be available at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College men's soccer program this year follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook and 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.
