NASHVILLE, Tenn. – An early goal put Lipscomb behind the eight-ball early and the Bisons couldn’t recover, falling to Georgia Southern, 3-1, Sunday afternoon.

A Lipscomb foul just outside the penalty area in the 10th minute gave Georgia Southern an early opportunity and the Eagles took advantage. Drew Ruggles curved the free kick around the left side of the wall and past Lipscomb’s Brent McGee for the opening goal of the day.

The opening half was a far cry from the Bisons offensive exploits Friday, when Lipscomb piled up 21 shots in the course of action. The Bisons mustered two shots, putting only Ben Gates’ 15th-minute shot on net. Comparatively, Georgia Southern had five first-half shots on goal, with McGee turning away four of them.

Toward the end of the half, Georgia Southern’s Joe Hughes was ejected for his hit on Lipscomb freshman Omar Djabi, the first red card issued in a Lipscomb match this season.

The advantage would belong to Lipscomb for much of the second half, with the Eagles playing a man down. It wouldn’t last long though, with Lipscomb freshman Matt Kerridge earning his second yellow card of the match and the subsequent red to go with it in the game’s 65th minute. Kerridge will be unavailable in the Bisons next match due to earning a red card.

The lack of offensive action was telling; even at a man up, the Bisons were unable to generate many more chances in the second half, getting only four shots away.

In the 70th minute, Georgia Southern’s Luigi Clendining took a break away straight down the pitch and beat McGee for his season’s fourth goal. Nine minutes later, the Eagles Alex Evert would put away a penalty kick for the Eagles final goal of the afternoon.

Despite being under fire most of the game, McGee acquitted himself in net by making five saves.

Lipscomb freshman Evan Beutler would snag his first career goal just before the end of the match for the Bisons lone goal of the afternoon.

Lipscomb will be back at E.S. Rose Park, next weekend, when they host the Hyatt Place Brentwood Invitational. Participants will be Lipscomb, Belmont, IPFW and Bowling Green, with Lipscomb playing IPFW Friday at 6 p.m.

Check back on Lipscombsports.com for more information on the Bison soccer team, and be sure to follow us on Twitter (@LUMSoccer) and like us on Facebook (Lipscomb University Men’s Soccer Team).