DALLAS, Texas — Top-ranked SMU found itself behind for the first time all season on Friday night at Washburne Stadium in Dallas, then scored late to tie No. 10 Louisville 1-1 and lock up the ACC men’s soccer regular-season crown on its own.
Louisville went ahead in the 28th minute when Cooper Olson headed home a cross, with Braydon Sellers and Jack Boring credited on the play. The Mustangs did not put a shot on goal in the first half, and things got harder just before the hour mark, when midfielder Tweneboa Kodua picked up his second yellow card and was sent off. He will sit out SMU’s next match.
Coach Kevin Hudson kept his 3-4-2-1 shape even while playing a man down, and the pressure paid off. Sophomore Landon Hickam scored the equalizer in the 87th minute on a feed from Ryan Clanton-Pimentel, who now has 10 assists this season. SMU finished with a 15-10 edge in shots and 10 corner kicks to three for Louisville.
The draw left SMU at 12-0-3 overall and 6-0-2 in the league, and the Mustangs are the last unbeaten team in Division I. They had shared the conference lead with Clemson coming in. It is the first ACC regular-season title for the program, which won the league tournament a year ago.
Louisville did well to slow down the best attack in the league. SMU came in scoring close to three goals a game, tops in the ACC. The Cardinals left at 12-2-3 and open the conference tournament against Stanford on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
As the top seed, SMU has a first-round bye in the ACC Championship and will play at home at Washburne Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 8, against the winner of Virginia and Notre Dame.
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