Union battles No. 1 Dalton State in narrow 1-0 loss

DALTON, Ga. – The Union Commonwealth University men's soccer team (1-2-0) fell 1-0 to top-ranked Dalton State (4-0-0) on Sunday at Dalton Stadium.

The matchup marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Union and Dalton State battled to a scoreless first half, with both sides posting four shots. Donte Campbell, Zak Hardman, Jordan Blake, and Laurin Fürmeier each registered an attempt for the Bulldogs, while goalkeeper Gabriel Mendoza tallied one save to keep the Roadrunners off the board.

Dalton State broke through in the opening minutes of the second half, as Sohail Ebrahimi netted an unassisted goal to give the Roadrunners a 1-0 advantage.

Union pressed for the equalizer, firing six shots after the break. Patrick Taylor led the second-half push with three attempts, while Isa Bramble added two and Oriol Gásquez Pérez one. Mendoza finished the match with five saves as Dalton State extended its shot total to 12.

In the closing minutes, Fürmeier earned a penalty kick opportunity for Union, but the Bulldogs were unable to convert, sealing the 1-0 final.

Union finished with 11 total shots in the contest.

Up next, Union will open Appalachian Athletic Conference play at home against Montreat on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.