Box Score VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – In the opening game of the pool play round at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division I Men's Soccer Championships, No. 6-seeded Mississippi University for Women found the going rough versus No. 2-seed – and unbeaten – Bryant & Stratton College-Syracuse, dropping a 6-1 decision at the Princess Anne Athletic Complex.
 
The Owls (8-10) will play their second Pool B contest on Saturday (Nov. 13) versus No. 3-seed Paul Quinn College at 11:14 a.m. Central Time. Paul Quinn will play B&SC-S on Friday in the other Pool B match.
 
For The W side, which set a school record for victories during the 2021 regular season, a very strong Bryant & Stratton team might have felt more like a Briggs & Stratton lawnmower at times to the Owls, who were constantly beating back pressure by the Bobcats' (9-0-1) attack. As for MUW's usually-potent offense, it was held pretty much in check by B&SC-S, getting off just three shots (all on-goal) and all by freshman Vini Lopes. Conversely, Bryant and Stratton took 39 shot attempts, 20 on frame.
 
"Playing a team of the quality we played today, even though we lost, was a good measuring stick for our program," The W Head Coach Louis Alexander said. "If you want to be able to compete at a high level, you have to play top quality teams. We did that today."
 
The W avoided being the Bobcats' seventh shutout victim of the season when Lopes tallied his 16th goal of 2021 in the 79th minute of play. Pedro Santana was credited with the assist that made it the 6-1 final score.
 
The Owls trailed at the intermission, 2-0.
 
The W sophomore goalkeeper David McCutchen registered 13 saves in the match.