COLUMBUS, Ind. – IU Columbus men's soccer opened River States Conference play on Saturday night under the spotlight of the RSC Match of the Week, battling hard but falling 3-0 to Shawnee State at the BCSC Turf Field.
The Crimson Pride over out-shot by the Bears (19-15), but matched their second half effort with nine. Ultimately, IUC could not break through a crowded Shawnee defense. Forward Noah Cordero paced IU Columbus with five shots, three on goal, while Justin Sylva, Saulo Luna, and Anton Bezborodov each added key attempts to keep the pressure on late.
Goalkeeper Jacob Kasarda anchored the back line with six saves while facing 19 total shots, including 11 on target. Shawnee State struck twice in the first half, scoring in the 19th and 32nd minutes, and added a third in the 54th minute to close the scoring.
IU Columbus generated its best chances after halftime, keeping pace the Bears 9–9 in the final 45 minutes, but Shawnee goalkeeper Toby Forsythe stopped all eight shots he faced to preserve the clean sheet.
Next Up: The Crimson Pride return home on Thursday, October 2, for another key River States Conference match-up. The game will also serve as Columbus Express Soccer Club Appreciation Night, celebrating local youth soccer players and families at Richard Wigh Soccer Complex. All Columbus Express players will be recognized at halftime of the men's game. Thursday's match details are listed below.
Oct. 2
7:00 PM vs. Brescia University (Ky.)
