Complete defensive meltdown in second half dooms Hawks in GLVC opener

QUINCY — The exasperation echoed in Mike Carpenter’s voice.

“Dreadful defending the whole half,” he said.

There was no other way to describe the Quincy University men’s soccer team’s performance in the second half of Sunday’s 4-3 loss to Missouri S&T in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener at Legends Stadium.

The Hawks squandered a 2-0 halftime lead by allowing two goals in the first 17 minutes of the second half, only to answer 90 seconds later on Anthony Binaei’s goal. The Miners kept attacking and scored in the 81st and 86th minutes to pull the upset.

Quincy was picked third in the GLVC preseason poll, while Missouri S&T was tabbed 11th.

“We conceded four goals in 45 minutes,” Carpenter said. “It’s as bad of a defensive half as I’ve seen in for sure recent memory. Shocking. We’ve talked about lack of execution. They just wanted it more than us.”

The four goals mark the most allowed by the Hawks in a half in Carpenter’s 10 seasons at the helm and the most in a half in at least the last 15 seasons. Making matters worse, the Miners had scored just one goal in their first five halves of the season.

It negated what had been a quality first 45 minutes.

Senior forward Aubrey Reis, a two-time All-GLVC selection, picked up his first goal of the season in the 28th minute, and senior forward Cole Hayes scored in the 33rd minute to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead. Everything changed with the mistakes defensively.

“We flat out are a real mess defensively right now,” Carpenter said. “Until we’re sorted a little bit and some people step up, it’s going to be a problem.”

The Hawks will try to rebound at 7:30 p.m. Friday when Lindenwood comes to Legends Stadium.

“What’s your other option?” Carpenter said. “Learn your lessons. Learn from your mistakes.”