KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Geneva College men's soccer team tried to put together an unlikely comeback to No. 2 Campbellsville on Monday night on the opening day of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Tournament, but the Golden Tornadoes came up just short in a 3-2 loss to the Tigers.  The Golden Tornadoes will wrap up pool play tomorrow against No. 5 Trinity Christian College.

Geneva entered the tournament as the No. 8 seeded team, out of nine schools, and faced a bracket consisting of primarily scholarship programs.  In fact, all 31 Campbellsville players were international, coming from 13 different countries.

The men almost got on the board five minutes into the game when senior Caleb Chambers' shot from long range hit the post.  Ten minutes later, junior George Cottenden almost broke through, but his low shot heading inside the near post was just pushed wide by a diving save from Campbellsville goalkeeper.

The Tigers gained control of the match midway through the first half, though, and Campbellsville took a lead in the 30^th minute when Gustav Okarsson gathered a ball in the box and put one inside the far post.  Five minutes later, the Tigers doubled their lead when Nico Lanari got behind the Geneva defense and scored, and Campbellsville eventually took that 2-0 edge into the halftime break.

Midway through the second half, in the 62^nd minute, Campbellsville's Diego Chainho found the net to increase the Tigers' lead three goals and seemingly put the game away.

Geneva never folded, though.  The Golden Tornadoes pulled one back in the 79^th minute when junior Wil Dunda laid off a pass to Cottenden in the middle of the box, and Cottenden drilled a shot just under the crossbar to get Geneva on the board.

Four minutes later, the Golden Tornadoes found the net again off a corner kick.  Junior Jeremy Thompson sent a ball to back post where junior Mike Rogers tapped it in, pulling Geneva within one goal with eight minutes remaining.  Unfortunately, the men couldn't find a third goal to complete the frenetic comeback and fell, 3-2.

Campbellsville finished with a 16-9 edge in shots, though just an 8-7 advantage in shots on goal.  Geneva held a 7-6 edge in corner kicks.  Senior goalkeeper Evan Shale made five saves in the match.

Geneva wraps up pool play tomorrow night with a match against No. 5 Trinity Christian at 6:00 p.m.  The men will need to win that match, and likely by multiple goals, in order to have a chance to advance to the semifinals on Friday.