Appalachian State 4, Campbell 1
BOONE ? Appalachian State University men’s soccer closed the 2007 preseason with a solid performance against Gardner-Webb on Saturday, defeating the Bulldogs, 4-1. It was a big day for the Sassano family as Sean and Steven both scored goals for their Mountaineers, while junior Juan Obregon (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County) punched home a penalty and scored an assist.
“Gardner-Webb came out hard,” said Head Coach Paul Stahlschmidt, “they were on our every touch. I’m very pleased with the chances and goals we scored against this tough team. Our effort was much better and we will be bringing the same on Friday.”
Senior Sean Sassano (Gastonia, N.C./Forestview) got on the end of an Obregon cross to head the goal home to the far post in the 27th minute to give the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead. In the 44th minute a Michael Walters (Raleigh, N.C./UNC) cross found the head of sophomore Paul Pessina (Palmetto, Fla./Palmetto) to take the 2-1 lead.
Freshman Steven Sassano (Gastonia, N.C./Forestview) headed home a cross from brother Sean Sassano in the 47th minute to extend the lead to 3-1. The final goal of the game came off an Obregon penalty kick in the 71st minute.
The Bulldogs lone goal came in the 33rd minute as Bradley Morrison knocked home an Eric Asanin-Miroux through ball in the penalty box.
Junior Tyler Smith (Decatur, Ill./MacArthur) started the game in goal and played 47 minutes allowing one goal and notching two saves. Senior Greg Walters (Raleigh, N.C./Cape Fear CC) worked 42 minutes and earned an assist.
Appalachian will open the regular season this Friday, August 31 against Western Illinois as a part of the Broyhill Classic with the match beginning at 4:30.
Furman 3, South Carolina 2
Columbia, S.C. - Furman's Chris Davis beat South Carolina goalkeeper Geoff del Forn for his first goal of the preseason at the 78:17 mark to lift the Paladins to a 3-2 victory over the Gamecocks in exhibition action Friday night in Columbia, S.C.
Davis took a pass from freshman Dane Roberts and slipped past the keeper to break a 2-2 tie in the Paladins final exhibition before beginning the regular season next weekend at the Coastal Carolina Invitational.
South Carolina opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Tyler Ruthven buried a header off of Jeff Scannella's corner kick. Furman responded less than 20 minutes later. Shea Salinas set up Eric Baffour who found the right side netting at the 28:20 mark.
Junior Patrick Murray put the Paladins on top just after the half finding the left side of the net on a set piece at the 53:05 mark. South Carolina equalized in the 75th minute. Kevan Hawkins' header off of Schuyler Reardon's throw-in beat substitute keeper Josh Zimmer to tie the match at 2-2.
Furman held a 7-4 edge in shots and a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Furman begins the regular season campaign next Friday when its faces St. Joseph's in Conway, S.C. at 4:30 p.m. The Paladins conclude the Coastal Carolina Invitational with an 11:30 a.m. contest versus Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday.
UNC Greensboro 2, Winthrop 1
GREENSBORO, NC ? Thomas Campbell had a goal and an assist at UNCG topped Winthrop, 2-1, in men’s soccer exhibition action Sunday night at UNCG Soccer Stadium.
Campbell, a junior from Middletown, NJ who also scored in UNCG’s 2-2 tie with No. 12 Clemson last weekend, opened the scoring 8:41 into the match. He hit a blast from 35 yards out that found the top left corner of the goal and gave UNCG an early 1-0 lead.
The Spartans made it 2-0 a little over eight minutes later. Tebatso Manyama, who assisted on Campbell’s goal, put the ball into the box from the left wing. Campbell made a move with two defenders on him and tried to flick inside the right post. The ball hit the post, but bounced right to freshman Nirav Kadam, who knocked it home for a 2-0 Spartan advantage.
Winthrop got on the board with a penalty kick midway through the second half. David Worthen was called for a foul in the box at 66:19. Daniel Revivo converted the ensuing penalty kick against UNCG backup goalkeeper Chad Janda to make the score 2-1.
But UNCG held the Eagles off from there to finish the pre-season 1-0-1. Winthrop (1-1-0) outshot the Spartans 12-9 for the night. The Eagles also had an 8-4 advantage in corner kicks, but most of that came in the second half as UNCG used a total of 21 players, including three goalkeepers, in the match.
UNCG will open the 2007 season at the JMU/Blue Ridge Shadows Tournament next weekend. The Spartans will face Georgetown at 5 pm on Friday evening in Harrisonburg, VA.
AGATE
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
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WINTHROP........ 0 1 - 1
UNCG................ 2 0 - 2
SCORING: UNCG - Campbell (Manyama) 8:41; UNCG - Kadam (Campbell) 16:48; WU - Revivo (penalty kick), 66:49. SHOTS: WU 12, UNCG 9. WU 4 (Mitrovich 4, Owens 0), UNCG 4 (Berry 3; Janda 1, Dickerson 0). CORNER KICKS: WU 8, UNCG 4. FOULS: WU 10, UNCG 14.