BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University men's soccer team battled throughout Wednesday afternoon but came up just short in a 1-0 Conference Carolinas defeat to Belmont Abbey College at Parks Field.
Belmont Abbey netted the match's lone goal in the first half and held off several King opportunities over the final 45 minutes to earn the conference victory.
The Tornado generated 15 shots and held a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks, but were unable to find an equalizer against the Crusaders' defense. King goalkeeper Daniel Cavanaugh turned in a strong performance between the posts, making seven saves to keep the Tornado within striking distance throughout the contest.
Belmont Abbey struck in the opening half when Anthony Armas found the back of the net, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage. Despite creating chances on both sides of halftime, King could not solve Belmont Abbey goalkeeper Jackson Bennett, who recorded four saves and posted the shutout.
Offensively, Valentin Kretschmer led the Tornado with four shots, while Cian McGoey contributed three attempts. Matt Vargas, Simeon Adair, Valentin Kretschmer, and Cian McGoey each recorded a shot on goal for King.
The match was a physical conference battle, featuring six yellow cards, including four issued to the Tornado. King continued to fight until the final whistle but could not capitalize on its opportunities in the attacking third.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Belmont Abbey 1, King (TN) 0
Records: Belmont Abbey (2-3-2, 1-3-0 Conference Carolinas), King (TN) (0-6-0, 0-3-0 Conference Carolinas)
Site: Parks Field (Bristol, Tenn.)
Date: September 16, 2026
Attendance: 123
STATS OF THE MATCH:
• Daniel Cavanaugh: 7 saves in goal for King
• Valentin Kretschmer: Team-high 4 shots
• King: 15 shots (4 on goal), 5 corner kicks
• Belmont Abbey: 21 shots (8 on goal), 4 corner kicks
UP NEXT:
a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } King (TN) returns to Conference Carolinas action on
Tuesday, September 22, traveling to
Lees-McRae College in
Banner Elk, N.C. Kickoff is scheduled for
7:00 PM.
