GREENWOOD – In search of a three-game winning streak on a sunny Wednesday afternoon at Van Taylor Stadium, the Lander men's soccer team came close but dropped a 2-1 match to Flagler.

Lander (3-2-6, 2-2-3 PBC) kept the pressure applied to the Saints (7-2-4, 4-1-3 PBC) with 24 shots and six on goal.

Despite going down 2-0 during the first half, the Bearcats stayed up to the task and cut the deficit in half when Giacomo Sartori headed a corner kick through the hands of the Saints' keeper in the 69th minute.

It was Sartori's fourth goal of the season – extending his career-high – and it was assisted by Christian Hatley who leads the team with eight helpers.

Ryosuke Tanaka made a tremendous bid for his third goal in four games in the 81st minute that forced the Flagler keeper to dive to his right to stop it.

Another good scoring chance came in the first half. Hatley was awarded a penalty kick after getting tripped in the penalty area in the 42nd minute – he tried going to the bottom right unsuccessfully.

The Bearcats will play their first of two road games in Georgia over the next week as they pay a visit to Georgia Southwestern in Americus this Saturday, Oct. 18. Kick-off against the Hurricanes is scheduled for 5 p.m. Lander topped GSW 6-1 on Oct. 4.