CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Delta State University men's soccer team concluded its 2026 season Thursday night, falling 1-0 to Lee University at the Ray Conn Sports Complex.
The Statesmen (2-10-4, 0-7-3 Gulf South Conference) battled throughout the contest, keeping the match scoreless in the first half before the Flames (8-4-4, 5-3-2 GSC) found the decisive goal early in the second half.
Lee broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when Marcos Garcia headed home a corner kick from Ansel Ledezma to give the Flames a 1-0 advantage.
Delta State responded with increased offensive pressure, finishing with 11 shots, including 10 in the second half. The Statesmen also earned six corner kicks, five of which came after halftime, as they searched for an equalizer.
Danny Vargas led Delta State with three shots, including one on target, while
Daniel Huerta and
Ivan Gomez each recorded two attempts.
Matthew Nicklas and
Cole Fenton also added shots for the Statesmen.
Goalkeeper
Daniel Santema recorded four saves in the full 90 minutes, helping keep Delta State within striking distance throughout the match.
The Statesmen's opportunities increased after Lee received a red card in the 63rd minute, leaving the Flames with 10 players for the remainder of the contest. Delta State continued to press offensively in the closing stages, generating multiple shots and corner kicks but was unable to find the equalizer.
Despite being outshot 14-11, Delta State finished with a strong second-half showing, recording 10 shots after managing just one in the opening 45 minutes. The Statesmen also held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks in the second half.
The match marked the conclusion of the 2026 season for Delta State men's soccer as the Statesmen finished the season with a 2-10-4 overall record and a 0-7-3 record in GSC Play.
