UNCW 3, #13 UNC Greensboro 2, OT

 

GREENSBORO, NC ? UNC Wilmington’s Sam Leger scored with 2:42 remaining in the second sudden-death overtime to cap a wild finish and give the Seahawks a 3-2 win over UNC Greensboro in men’s soccer action Thursday night at UNCG Soccer Stadium in the first game of the UNCG/Davidson Soccer Classic.

Leger scored off a feed from Murray to cap a wild final 40 minutes that saw the lead see-saw back-and-forth several times.

UNCG took a 1-0 lead at 66:12 when Scott Jones fed Randi Patterson in the box. Patterson made a fake to his right and broke left, fooling the UNCW keeper and leaving an open net for his first goal of the season.

UNCW tied the score, however, just six minutes later. Bret Patterson hit a long cross from the left wing to the right post. Tim Masters fired a shot from eight yards out that was knocked down by the UNCG keeper, but trickled across the goal line to tie the score.

UNCG regained the lead just over six minutes after that. Scott Jones started the corner kick in place of Egill Atlason, who had left the game just moments earlier after a violent collision at midfield knocked both he and Bret Patterson out of the game. Jones lofted a ball high into the box, that Jamie Carlson went up and headed into the net to give the Spartans a 2-1 advantage with just 3:39 left in regulation.

But the Seahawks answered again. With just under two minutes remaining in regulation, UNCW had a corner kick. The initial ball into the box resulted in a scrum at the top of the box. A UNCG clearing attempt was blocked off

and Will Clark gathered the loose ball and blasted it into the net from 10 yards out to tie the score once again.

UNCG, which was ranked as high as No. 6 in the preseason polls, outshot the Seahawks, 23-12, on the night. It was the first time in five years that UNCG failed to win its home opener.

 

Wofford 2, Longwood 2

 

FARMVILLE, VA ? Wofford and Longwood played to a double overtime 2-2 tie in men’s soccer Thursday afternoon at Longwood’s Lancer field.  It was the first regular season contest of the season for each team.

 

Wofford took a 2-0 lead before the Lancers stormed back and scored the tying goal with just 12 seconds left in regulation.

 

Wofford scored its first goal in the 35th minute on a goal by Brandon Lowery, assisted by Jon Sekerak. The Terriers added to their lead three minutes later when Jesus Arroyo-Peco scored off a pass from Clark Powell.

 

Longwood’s David Smith cut the Terrier lead to 2-1 when he controlled a loose ball and blasted a shot past goalkeeper Joey Taylor with 1:12 remaining in regulation.  A free kick taken by sophomore goalkeeper Brandt Youmans with less than 45 seconds remaining resulted in a corner kick for Longwood.  Freshman Miq Umar bent a corner kick into the box, which sophomore Todd Runey headed home to tie the game at the 89:48 mark.

The Lancers finished the game with 17 shots, including seven shots on goal, while the Terriers finished with seven shots, six of which were on goal. Youmans, who was starting his first collegiate game, finished the contest with four saves, while Taylor made five saves for Wofford. Longwood had a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks.

 

Each team is 0-0-1 on the season.

 

Appalachian State 2, Winthrop 1

 

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - A physical and tightly competitive match went in favor of Appalachian State in the opener of Thursday?s Jako/GWU Classic as the Mountaineers scored two goals in the final 15 minutes of play for a 2-1 comeback win over Winthrop.

 

The Mountaineers, now 1-0, trailed 1-0 at the half, as Deniel Revivo?s header found paydirt at the 17:58 mark off an assist from Kevin Green.

 

A rough first half (13 total fouls) calmed in the final 45 minutes of play, but neither team could make a run at the net until Appalachian?s late flurry. The Mountaineers put nine of their 17 shots on goal in the game, and none provided more of a lift than Tate Parrish?s(Acworth, Ga./Harrison) connection from Todd Topolka (Greensboro, N.C./Page) at the 75:43 mark that tied the game, 1-1.

 

With less than three minutes to go, the match appeared destined for overtime, but Appalachian State?s offense made a push and ­ off a corner kick ­ J.T. Labruyere (Asheville, N.C./Page) headed in a Sean Sassano (Gastonia, N.C./Forestview) cross for the game winner at the 87:43 mark.

 

Appalachian State?s George Nagle (Williamsburgh, Va./Hampton Roads Academy) was solid between the posts after allowing Winthrop?s initial goal, finishing with six saves in 90:00 of action. Winthrop?s Andy Reid was also strong until late, saving six shots in 90:00.

 

Appalachian State outshot Winthrop 17-11 on the afternoon, as the Eagles fell victim to five untimely offsides calls ­ and took advantage of only one of its eight corner kicks in the match.

 

Davidson 3, Charlotte 2

 

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Cass Baltz scored 2:00 into the first overtime period to lift Davidson over Charlotte 3-2 in both team?s season opener Thursday evening at Alumni Stadium.

 

“Tonight?s win was a tremendous way to start the season,” said Davidson head coach Matt Spear. “Beating your arch rival at home, in the opener, couldn?t be more exciting.”

 

Baltz, a junior midfielder from Raleigh, N.C., netted the game-winner from the left side on a feed from Matt Allen. The Wildcats’ Robby Hoak also assisted on the score.

 

“Cass’ goal was a combination play we had been working on throughout the night,” said coach Spear. “He is the type of player that can win games for us and it showed this evening.”

 

Charlotte (0-1) scored the game?s first goal in the ninth minute of play on a penalty kick by junior midfielder Evan Harding. The 49ers’ first opportunity came when Davidson goalkeeper Ben Ashton fouled Pete Palomino in the box.

 

At the 19:28 mark in the first period, Charlotte?s John Nabers was issued his second caution of the night resulting in an ejection, which meant the 49ers had to play a man down the remainder of the contest.

 

“I thought they reacted to playing a man down better than us,” said Coach Spear. “They were intense and well organized immediately following the incident, it took us a while to react.”

 

The Wildcats evened the score 1-1 on a penalty kick of their own just 1:26 into the second half. David Sartorio scored the goal as a result of a Charlotte handball in the box.

 

In the 57th minute of play, Adam Ruud put Charlotte back in front (2-1) with his first goal of the season. Floyd Franks played a pass down the right side to Ruud, who drove it past a diving Ashton.

 

With just under 13 minutes remaining in regulation, Davidson was awarded a direct kick thanks to another Charlotte handball. The Wildcats’ Hoak, a native of Atlanta, Ga., blasted home the game-tying score from 25-yards out.

 

“You can?t say enough about Robby Hoak?s goal that tied the game, it was a world class shot,” commented Spear.

 

Davidson (1-0) finished its opening match of the 2005 adidas Classic with an 8-4 edge in shots.

 

With the victory over their cross-county rival, the Wildcats now trail in the overall series with Charlotte 10-16-6. Tonight?s win for Davidson was the first time a home team has won in the series since the Wildcats? shutout the 49ers 2-0 during the 2001 season.

 

Furman 1, Binghamton 1

 

Conway, S.C. - Binghamton’s Kyle Antos headed in an Adam Chavez cross with eights seconds remaining in regulation to give his squad a 1-1 tie with Furman in the season opener for both teams Thursday evening at the Coastal Carolina/adidas Invitational in Conway, S.C.

Sophomore forward Shea Salinas put the Paladins ahead at the 28:21 mark scoring on an assist from senior Kevin Norman.  Norman played a cross in front of net and Salinas beat Binghamton keeper Ryan Bertoni for the first goal of the match.

Furman outshot Binghamton 11-6 and held a 3-2 edge in corner kicks.  Goalkeeper Bryan Amos recorded three saves while Bertoni saved four shots in the double overtime draw.