HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Crusaders suffer their first home loss since October 21^st, 2023, as they go down 4-0 to RV Xavier (La.).
 
Carey had the chance to go ahead early, courtesy of Rico Duggan. Duggan found himself in possession inside the Xavier penalty area. Duggan cut onto his favored left foot and took his shot but couldn't get clean contact as the ball trickled into Breno Zanolla's arms.
 
XU's chances early on came from set pieces, as they aimed to take advantage of long free kicks and long throws into the Crusader box.
 
The opening 30 minutes saw little action on either side. Carey maintained control of the game with the majority of possession but couldn't create any clear chances. Xavier's defense held strong to deny the Crusaders as they attempted to catch them on the counterattack.
 
Duggan and Joshua Salas were at the heart of everything Carey tried to create. Carey had a penalty shout turned down as Duggan went down under a challenge by the Gold Rush defender. The referee waived away those claims instantly.
 
Xavier took advantage of their only shot on target in the 36^th minute as they went 1-0 up. A long ball from Guilherme Domingues released Iman Ouedraogo over the top. A defensive miscue between the Carey defense and keeper Alex Molto allowed Ouedraogo to tap the ball into an empty net.
 
Carey's best chance of the game through some excellent link up play in the Carey midfield. A low driven ball from Lewis Green found Salas on the edge of the penalty area. Salas provided a delightfully deft flick off the outside of his right foot that released Danny Mulero in behind. Mulero couldn't quite get his shot off in time as the recovering defender made the sliding tackle to deny the Crusaders.
 
Only 8 minutes into the second half and XU had doubled their lead. Antonio Merola whipped an in-swinging free kick into the penalty from their left-hand side. Ouedraogo rose highest at the back post to head the ball in off the underside of the crossbar.
 
Carey continued to maintain possession during the opening 15 minutes of the second half. Despite the majority share of possession, the Crusaders were unable to turn their possession into chances on goal. XU were happy to absorb the pressure and hit Carey on the counterattack.
 
72 minutes on the clock the Gold Rush added their third. Ouedraogo was fouled on the edge of the box on the left-hand side. XU claimed the foul was in the box, attempting to claim a penalty, but it proved unnecessary as they would score directly off the free kick. Merola hit an in-swinging low cross across the front of goal. The cross managed to sneak its way through the Carey wall, through a number of bodies, and crept into the Carey goal at the far post.
 
83 minutes in and Xavier thought they had added a fourth. The ball dropped to Nelson Nakayama outside the Carey box. Nakayama shifted the ball onto his left foot as he touched the ball past the defender and drove the ball low across goal into the net via the post. Nakayama's joy was short-lived as he was denied by the wave of the linesman's flag.
 
Xavier, however, eventually got their fourth with 13 seconds remaining. Nilson Zavala's pass found John Orgah deep inside the penalty area. Orgah brought the ball under control and snuck a shot across goal and into the far post to put the stamp on their victory.
 
Carey are back in action Sunday, September 7^th as they host Indiana Tech. That game is set to get underway at 12 PM at Danny Owens Field.