Box Score

EUNICE, La. – A goal with less than four minutes left in regulation delivered LSU Eunice a 3-2 setback to Tyler JC in the Gulf South District Championship on Saturday at the Bengal Soccer Complex.  The loss snapped LSUE's (16-2) win streak at 13 games.
 
"When you play a team like Tyler JC, they will make you pay for any mistakes," LSU Eunice men's soccer head coach Josh McReynolds.  "I thought we played well enough to win, but the few miscues we made were too much to overcome."
 
The Apaches delivered the heartbreaker off a fast break down the right-hand side.  A clearance attempt was deflected then passed to a wide open Karsimi Konneh who fired a shot to the left side past the outstretched arms of LSUE goalkeeper Zaykeese Smith (Charlestown, St. Kitts & Nevis, Charlestown Secondary School).
 
The late drama much different than a back and forth chess match for the first 20 minutes of the game. Tyler JC, however, was finally able to strike first off a Bengals' defensive miscue.  Zaykeese Smith came high off his line for a clearance but a mishit and another missed clearance attempt gave Dylan Butfon an open net as he struck a 35-yard shot that touched the right post and rattled in.
 
The Bengals would answer nearly 15 minutes later off a set piece as Angelo Fabricio (Jundiai, Brazil, St. Amant HS (LA)) lofted a corner kick to a scrum in front of the net.  Noah Wagner (Corpus Christi, TX, Veterans Memorial HS) spun and tied the game by the ball ricocheting off his back. 
 
TJC would regain the lead in the 38th minute as another failed clearance resulting in a fast break and Apache goal on a cross box pass to a wide open Karsimi Konneh to make it 2-1 Apaches at the halftime mark.
 
LSUE would equalize in the 65th minute off another set piece as Angelo Fabricio bent in a free kick to Albert Ibrahimi (Shipley, England, Shipley College) who headed in the game tying goal.
 
LSU Eunice will now wait to see if it is one of the four teams selected as an at-large representative in the NJCAA National Tournament.  The tournament field will be announced on Tuesday.