Leavenworth, Kan. – The Bethany College Swedes Men’s Soccer team faced the University of Saint Mary on Saturday afternoon, October 11, in a competitive KCAC matchup that ended 5–2 in favor of the Spires.
The game started roughly for the Swedes, as Saint Mary struck early, scoring from a corner kick in the 4th minute after a misclearance inside the box. Just two minutes later, another counterattack down Bethany’s left side resulted in a second goal for the hosts. After those chaotic opening ten minutes, the Swedes settled into the match, maintaining more possession and creating some dangerous chances of their own.
Around the 30th minute, Richard Livingston produced an excellent individual run, dribbling past multiple defenders and even the goalkeeper before his shot was stopped by a defender’s hand inside the box — a play that could have resulted in a red card. Livingston took the penalty himself, but the Saint Mary goalkeeper made the save. Despite the missed opportunity, Bethany continued to battle and finished the first half stronger, showing resilience and belief.
The Swedes started the second half with renewed energy, pressing higher and creating several chances. However, the Spires added a third goal around the 60th minute from another corner, extending their lead. In the 74th minute, Bethany responded — a quick play involving Richard Livingston and Yandel Ramos ended with Ramos capitalizing on a defensive mistake to make it 3–1. Just minutes later, Saint Mary answered with a long-range strike from over 25 yards to restore their advantage.
Bethany continued to push forward, and in the final ten minutes, a great sequence down the left side saw Lucas Wiebe and Baptista Amofa combine, with Amofa setting up Emmanuel Dukuly, who finished calmly to make it 4–2. In the final seconds, the Spires sealed the match with another impressive shot from distance after a cleared corner.
Despite the loss, the Swedes showed strong determination and competitiveness throughout the match, continuing to demonstrate growth against one of the toughest opponents in the conference.
Up Next…
The Bethany College Swedes Men’s Soccer team will travel to York, Neb., on Wednesday, October 15, to face York University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
