Three teams took the field Thursday. Three teams won. Women’s soccer answered a tie with a late winner, men’s soccer got a bench goal in the 87th minute at a neutral-site tournament, and football opened its season by outlasting its oldest rival for the Brass Lantern. Here’s all three.
Women’s Soccer: 2-1 over #8 Truett McConnell
Abigail Little scored her first collegiate goal in the 53rd minute to put #2 Cumberlands ahead. Truett McConnell tied it in the 69th, but Letizia Traversone, back on the field after re-entering in the 77th, scored the winner in the 82nd off a Laura Bosca assist. Cumberlands never trailed. The Patriots are 2-0.
Men’s Soccer: 2-1 over #22 Grace
At the RedStorm Classic in Rio Grande, Ohio, Vinicius Serafim opened the scoring for #4 Cumberlands off a Dunsting Cohen Jr. assist. Grace tied it, and the game stayed level until the 87th minute, when substitute Vitor Mendonca buried the winner on a Luca Piazza feed. Grace outshot Cumberlands 12-6, but the Patriots made their chances count. Cumberlands is 1-0-1 on the season, unbeaten through two.
Football: 41-28 over Union Commonwealth
The season opener doubles as the Battle for the Brass Lantern, and the lantern is staying home. Cumberlands built a 41-21 halftime lead behind two touchdowns apiece from Tanner Marsh and Juan Bullard Jr., plus an 89-yard pick-six from Tion Garmon. The Patriots then lost four fumbles in the second half and still won by 13, a margin the fast start made possible. Drew Gregg finished 10-of-15 passing for 200 yards and a 187.3 quarterback rating. Cumberlands opens 1-0.
The day in numbers
| Result | Record after | |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s Soccer | W 2-1 vs #8 Truett McConnell | 2-0 |
| Men’s Soccer | W 2-1 vs #22 Grace | 1-0-1 |
| Football | W 41-28 vs Union Commonwealth | 1-0 |
Three sports, three different ways of winning, one very good Thursday.