SMU Soccer Closes Regular Season With Loss

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MEMPHIS (SMU) – The No. 14 SMU men’s soccer team fell, 2-1, to Memphis in the regular season finale Friday night at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. Senior Ben Hill scored for the Mustangs. With the loss, SMU finishes the regular season with a 10-4-3 record and wins Conference USA with a 6-2 mark.

“It’s a tough loss on the road,” head coach Tim McClements said. “I thought we played a really good first half; scored a goal, but gave up a goal right before the end of the half. We were out of sorts the rest of the game and could not get things going. Memphis scored on a PK to win it, 2-1. We need to learn, move on and get ready for the conference tournament.”

The Mustangs opened the scoring in the 29th minute on a goal by Hill. Sophomore Tyler Engel sent a lead pass up the right side to sophomore Damian Rosales who crossed the ball into the box for Hill. Hill then volleyed the ball home from five yards out for a 1-0 SMU lead. The goal was Hill’s third tally of the season.

Memphis evened the score on a goal by leading-scorer Mark Sherrod in the 41st minute. Sherrod received a cross from just outside the right side of box and headed it in from seven yards out to tie the game at one.

The Tigers netted the eventual game-winner on a penalty kick in the 74th minute. Memphis was awarded the kick after Sherrod was taken down in the box. Sherrod took the shot, sending the ball right as SMU goalkeeper Jaime Ibarra dived the other way. Ibarra has saved two of the three penalty kicks he’s faced this season.

A few minutes after the opening kick, the game was delayed for 20 minutes because of a power outage at the soccer complex.

SMU is the No. 1 seed in the Conference USA tournament and will have a bye in the first round. The Mustangs’ opponent will be announced following the first round of games on Wednesday.

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