GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Guilford College men's soccer team opened up their 2025 campaign with a hard-fought contest, but ultimately their comeback was fruitless, in a 2-1 defeat against Pfeiffer University on Friday evening at Appenzeller Field at the Armfield Athletic Center.
Ildis Vital-Peraza (Vienna, Va.) started on opening day for the Quakers finishing with five saves on ten shot attempts faced and wound up on the hook, moving his record to 0-1-0. Pfeiffer's keeper, Seth Limbert, finished with three saves out of nine shots faced, moving his record to 1-0-0 for the Falcons.
Chris Hercules (Greensboro, N.C.) led the Quakers to their lone goal of the day from a penalty kick among his two shot attempts.
Issac Garbia (Copenhagen, Denmark) logged two shot attempts with one on goal while
Jeremy Pless (Titusville, Fla.) had a duo of off-frame looks as well.
For the visitors, it was Alex Michael who netted the game-winner on this night with Wesley Hooker also finding paydirt. Caleb Yopp and Jaiden Wright each recorded a helper.
The scoring started quickly in the game as the Falcons struck first in the fifth minute as Yopp took the corner from the right-side, sending a perfect ball into the center of the box finding the head by Michael who redirected into the top-middle of the net for the opening goal of the match.
The remainder of the first half was highly defensive and physical with the goal scoring slowing, but the chippiness would increase as both sides fought for control of the match.
At the 59th minute, the Falcons would extend their edge when Wright attempted the shot that was rebounded by the goalkeeper leading to a clean look from the penalty kick stripe for Hooker that he sent in the low-middle section of the net.
The Quakers would make a late push into the 72nd minute, drawing a Falcon foul in the '18. Hercules cashed in on the penalty kick with his first goal of the season, with a shot middle-middle into the twine to breathe some life into the comeback bid.
After multiple shot attempts, the physicality continued to pursue as the Quakers continued to fight hard late, but ultimately fell short, 2-1.
The Quakers will continue their action tomorrow, August 30th, on the road in Fayetteville to take on Methodist University for a 7:00 PM match.
#GoQuakes
