The UIS men's soccer team struck early but couldn't hold off Rockhurst on Friday night, falling 2-1 on the road and ultimately dropping to 2-3-1 overall, 1-2 GLVC. 

UIS grabbed the lead in the seventh minute when Mahomet Doucoure and Spencer Martin set up Robin Lemke Bergseth for a highlight finish. Martin delivered a short and precise pass that Bergseth ran onto and fired across the goal into the far corner, past a leaping Rockhurst keeper.

Goalkeeper Edoardo Pinna was tested soon after on a free kick from straight on, but he made the save to preserve the advantage. The match turned in the 28th minute when Mahomet Doucoure received his second yellow card, forcing the Prairie Stars to play down a man the rest of the way.

Despite being outshot 15-2 in the first half, with Rockhurst holding a 5-1 edge on goal, UIS carried its 1-0 lead into the break.

The Hawks pulled even in the 50th minute and then struck again in the 70th, converting the game-winner on a left-footed strike through traffic to make it 2-1.

Pinna finished with nine saves to keep UIS close, including a late stop on a dangerous free kick. The Prairie Stars had a final throw-in chance in the closing seconds but couldn't find the equalizer.

Rockhurst ended the night with a 26-4 advantage in shots, including 11-1 on frame, and a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.

"Overall it was a tough match, and going down to 10 men made it a little bit more difficult," said head coach Graham Shaw. "With 11 men against 11 we were more than a match and even took the lead through a well-worked goal. As the game went on fatigue set in, but I couldn't be prouder of the lads and the effort they put in. We now focus on Sunday's game against Southwest Baptist."

Up Next
UIS continues its Missouri road trip on Sunday, taking on Southwest Baptist in Bolivar at 2:30 p.m.