Bristol, Tenn.- The King University men's soccer team battled hard but came up just short in its Conference Carolinas opener, falling 2-1 to Converse University on Saturday, September 5, at Parks Field in Bristol.
Converse struck first late in the first half, taking a 1-0 lead into the break after Peder Winge finished a pass from Cesa Ramirez-Pulido in the 40th minute. King responded in the 80th minute, with
Valentin Kretschmer netting the equalizer off a setup from
Jacob Pope. The Tornado defense held strong, but Converse found the go-ahead goal with just over a minute remaining, as Levi Bankirer scored the game-winner in the 89th minute.
King (0-4-0, 0-1-0) finished the match with eight shots—three on target—and earned two corners. Goalkeeper
Daniel Cavanaugh made two saves to keep the Tornado in contention throughout the afternoon.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Converse 2, King (TN) 1
Records: Converse (2-1-1, 1-0-0), King (TN) (0-4-0, 0-1-0)
Site: Parks Field (Bristol, Tenn.)
Date: September 5, 2026
Attendance: 134
STATS OF THE MATCH:
•
Valentin Kretschmer scored King's goal, assisted by
Jacob Pope
• King: 8 shots (3 on goal), 2 corners
•
Daniel Cavanaugh: 2 saves
• Converse: 10 shots (4 on goal), 9 corners
UP NEXT:
King (TN) will travel to Young Harris for a Saturday, September 12 showdown at 3:30 PM.
