Nashville, Tenn. – A goal with three minutes to play spelled the difference as Lipscomb took a 2-1 victory over USC Upstate in the A-Sun men's soccer opener for both teams Wednesday night in the Music City.

Upstate (2-6-1, 0-1-0) and Lipscomb (6-2-1, 1-0-0) battled for possession with neither team getting shot opportunities in the early minutes in the first half. Marvin Schmiege took the game's first shot in the eighth minute, but it sailed wide. Six minutes later, though, Schmiege and the Spartans made some noise.

With Upstate pressuring Lipscomb's defense deep in Bison territory, Lipscomb was called for a foul in the box and the Spartans were awarded a penalty kick in the 14^th minute. Schmiege took the kick and put it into the left side of the goal to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead. It was his team-high fourth goal of the season. With the goal, he moved into a tie for third alongside Maurice Beggs on Upstate's Division I era career scoring list with 22 points.

The penalty kick seemed to light a fire under the Lipscomb players. The Bisons got off three shots in a five minute span midway through the half. Only one of the shots, though, was placed on-goal and Upstate goalkeeper Hassan Haddad came up with the save. Haddad came up with another save in the 30^th minute to keep the Spartans ahead, 1-0.

After an Upstate foul in the in the 35^th minute, Lipscomb's Omar Djabi took the free kick and took a shot from 25 yards out. Haddad made the save, but the Bisons were awarded a corner kick. Haddad came up with a save on a shot by Jonathan Ramirez from 16 yards out in the middle of the box to maintain Upstate's 1-0 lead.

Lipscomb finished the half with nine shots, placing four on goal. Haddad, though, made four saves on those shots to keep the Bisons off the board. Upstate took four shots in the half.

Lipscomb came out in the second half determined to maintain possession and did that early on. The Bisons took eight shots in the first 18 minutes of the half. Haddad came up with some key saves, none bigger than the one on the 62^nd minute from 15 feet away. However, the ninth shot of the half in the 65^th minute got Lipscomb on the board. After an Upstate foul, Djabi took the kick from 30 yards out and played a cross into the box. Luke Gearin was there to put the header away to tie the game at 1-1.

Although Lipscomb owned much of the possession in the half, Upstate used counter attacks to create some opportunities. The Spartans' nearly regained the lead in the 82^nd minute when a cross was played into the box from the right and Schmiege's header went just wide left of the goal.

With time winding down in regulation, Djabi started a play that gave Lipscomb the lead, 2-1. Djabi gained possession about 40 yards out and played a ball to Matt Kerridge about 25 yards out. He moved to his left and into the box, taking a shot from 16 yards out toward the far post. The ball looked to be slightly deflected but it had enough on it to sneak into the right side of the goal just inside the post.

Upstate did not let up and was able to get a corner kick with under a minute to play, but Lipscomb was able to clear the cross and hold on for the win.

Lipscomb finished the game with a 24-9 lead in shots, placing nine on-goal to Upstate's two. Haddad finished the game with seven saves for the Spartans and Schmiege led all Upstate players with five shots. Upstate will take some time off before returning to the pitch on Oct. 11 when North Florida comes to Spartanburg.

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