MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Aug. 22, 2015) – Sophomore Nick Smith recorded a career high nine saves, but the Milligan College men’s soccer team dropped a 4-0 decision to Columbia International University in front of its home crowd Saturday afternoon.

CIU struck early when a through ball from Ethan Chandler allowed Daniel Mallard to slip through the Milligan defense and find the back of the net in the fourth minute. Chandler was again on the assisting end 30 minutes later when Maks Yakovenko doubled the lead in the 34th minute, and a late first-half goal by Mark Thompson made it 3-0 at the break.

CIU’s Alex Hackett rounded out the scoring with a late second-half goal.

In the meantime, Milligan earned several opportunities of its own but could not cash in. Senior Tapiwa Kaseke had the closest miss less than three minutes after CIU went ahead for the first time. After a foul at the top of the penalty area awarded Milligan a free kick from less than 19 yards out, Kaseke missed just high over the crossbar.

Kaseke had Milligan’s next best chance early in the second half when a pass from Josh Willard, Milligan’s goal scorer in Fridaynight’s loss to No. 21 SCAD Savannah, allowed Kaseke to get loose behind the CIU defense. Kaseke’s attempt there narrowly missed wide.

In all, Milligan’s offense managed six shots, three on goal, but was peppered by 23 shots, 13 on goal, at the other end. Smith, from Johnson City and Science Hill High School, made five saves in the first half and four in the second.

Milligan will be on the road against Dalton State on Tuesday, Aug. 25, before returning home for back-to-back matches on Saturday, Aug. 29, and Tuesday, Sept. 2, against Faulkner University and Cumberland University, respectively.