Appalachian State 2, IUPUI 1
September 7, 2007 - Bowling Green, Ky. ? The Appalachian State men’s soccer team defeated the IUPUI Panthers 2-1 on Friday night in the opening match of the WKU Invitational. Led by the foot of senior Sean Sassano (Gastonia, N.C./Forestview) who netted two goals, the Mountaineers secured their second win of the season. The now 2-1-0 Mountaineers will next take on Butler this Sunday at Noon, CDT.
“Its a good feeling to have your hard work pay off,” said Sassano after the win. “The best part is that we’re getting good results. This team has worked hard, and it’s great to be above the .500 mark.”
The Panthers struck quickly with a goal in the eighth minute to make the Mountaineers play from behind.
It wasn’t until just after the hour mark when Appalachian struck back. Senior Corey Lugger (Irmo, S.C./Dutch Fork) played a cross into the heart of the six yard box. The ball took two bounces before finding the head of Sassano at the back post. He directed the ball into the net for the equalizer.
The score line remained deadlocked with only seven minutes remaining on the clock when Appalachian scored the game winning goal. Sassano played sophomore Arie Muniz (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak) in the middle of the park. Muniz played back to Sassano on a through ball in an advanced position. The Panther goalkeeper came off his line, but could not stop Sassano’s shot from the top of the 18-yard box.
With the game-winning goal, Sassano scored his fifth goal of the season and tenth in his career.
“We’re improving every match,” said assistant coach Liam Farrell. “But, we’re still not there yet. We haven’t played a complete 90 minutes yet, and that’s one of goals for Sunday’s match against Butler.”
On Sunday, the Mountaineers will take on a fast Butler squad that will test the Apps. The inter-regional clash kicks off at Noon, CDT as a part of the WKU Invitational.
College of Charleston 1, UNC Wilmington 0
The College of Charleston men’s soccer team edged UNC Wilmington, 1-0 in game two of the Nike/Aaron Olitsky Memorial Tournament Fri., Sept. 7, at Patriots Point Field in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
“It was a very tough game and they were hard to play against,” said CofC head coach Ralph Lundy. “I was impressed with our increased commitment. We really put the pressure on them and that made the difference.”
Kareem Yearwood scored the game-winning goal and his third of the season off a double assist by Doug Edwards and Wes Knight, his third for season.
Both squads fought hard defensively during the entire competition. The shot advantage went the Cougars as the outshot the Seahawks 13-5.
The physical aspect of the game escalated in the second half when the Seahawks’ Indy Smith received a red card after holding Yearwood on a breakaway 20 yards from the UNCW goal.
The win brings the Cougars’ record to 3-0-0. CofC returns to action in day two of the tournament Sun., Sept. 9, when the face the Charlotte 49ers. The Seahawks will take on Elon in the 1:00 game of the tournament.
Furman 2, Presbyterian 0
Greenville, S.C. -- Eric Baffour and Brooks Duff each tallied goals in a two minute span of the first half as Furman blanked Presbyterian 2-0 Friday evening at the Diadora/Spinx Furman Invitational at Stone Soccer Stadium.
Baffour received a pass with his back to goal, spun and beat PC keeper Mark Owens at the near post to give Furman a 1-0 lead at 14:29. Furman extended the lead to 2-0 at 16:05. Shea Salinas beat his defender around the right side. His shot was redirected by Owens into the path of Duff who finished the chance for his third goal of the season.
“It was a good win for us tonight,” said Furman head coach Doug Allison. “Presbyterian is a very disciplined, very well-coached team.”
Furman held a slim 13-11 edge in shots with corner kicks equal at six apiece. Bryan Amos tallied six saves to earn his second shutout and Furman’s third of the season. Owens stopped five shots for the Blue Hose.
Furman improves to 3-0 while Presbyterian slips to 0-4 on the campaign.
In the opening game of the tournament, Jacksonville and Coastal Carolina traded first half goals before playing to a 1-1 draw.
Kelly Porter put the Chanticleers on top less than 10 minutes in running onto a long ball from Matt Schroeder and beating the keeper from inside the 18-yard box.
The Dolphins drew even in the 29th minute when Ramak Niakan Safi dribbled into the box and lined a shot past CCU keeper Aaron Weant to tie the game at 1-1. The game featured just five total shots on goal as Weant and Jacksonville netminder Matt Gilman combined to claim just three saves.
The Dolphins moved to 1-1-1 with the draw while Coastal moved to 0-2-1.
Furman returns to action Sunday in the Diadora/Spinx Furman Invitational finale when it hosts Jacksonville at 2 p.m. Coastal Carolina and Presbyterian open Sunday play with an 11:30 a.m. contest.
Wofford 0, Georgia State 0
ATLANTA -- The Wofford men's soccer team could not find the back of the net on 13 shots but the Terriers also kept the host Georgia State Panthers off the scoreboard as the two teams battled to a 0-0 tie Friday afternoon at the Panthersville Athletic Complex in Atlanta.
The Terriers had chances to score as seven of their 13 shots were on goal. Sophomore Yakov Rubinchik and freshman Armin Kinigadner beat Georgia State (0-1-1) defenders off the dribble, while junior Phil Beene and sophomore Moe Kelli paced Wofford with four shots apiece. Javon Carrington led the Panthers with four shots.
Wofford also had an 9-4 edge on corner kicks with five coming in the first 45 minutes. The second half saw the Terriers mount a flurry of shots with nine of their 13 attempted in the second half.
Junior Joey Taylor gathered four saves in his second-straight shutout to open the season, while Filipe Carvalho stopped six Wofford (1-0-1) shots for the shutout.
The Terriers will open their home slate with a 6 p.m. Sunday match against High Point at Snyder Field.
Charlotte 3, Elon 2
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- In a see-saw affair, the Elon Phoenix men's soccer team fell by a 3-2 margin to the Charlotte 49ers in the first match of the NIKE/Aaron Olitsky Memorial Tournament hosted by College of Charleston on Friday evening. The loss dropped the Phoenix to 1-2-0, while the 49ers improved to 2-1-0 on the year.
Brett Paschall scored an unassisted goal, his first of the season, to put Elon on top 1-0 21:09 into the contest. At 35:31, Charlotte's Luke Exley scored his second goal of the season to tie the game. Exley's score came from about 10 yards out and was assisted by Chris Salvaggione.
With the game still even at 1-1 in the second half, Will Shull banged home his second tally of the year to put the 49ers on top 2-1 at 50:12.
This time it was the Phoenix who answered. At 71:01, Justin Wyatt scored his second goal of the season to knot the score at 2-2. Wyatt's shot was from nine yards out and Alex Barake was credited with an assist on the play.
With just under six minutes left in regulation, Salvaggione connected for his second score on the year. The eventual game-winner was assisted by Exley.
Both Elon's Clint Irwin and Charlotte's David Martin made three saves while playing the entire 90 minutes in goal.
The Phoenix held a slim 10-9 edge in total shots, but the 49ers put more shots on frame, holding a 6-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Elon will play its second game of the tournament at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon against UNC Wilmington. UNCW plays Friday's second game against College of Charleston.
Alabama A&M 3, Georgia Southern 0
MACON, Ga. ? Alabama A&M outshot the Georgia Southern men’s soccer team 20-5 en route to a 3-0 blanking, Friday afternoon, in the first of two games at the Mercer Invitational.
The Bulldogs improve to 1-2, while the Eagles drop to 1-2 overall in the pre-conference schedule.
The Eagles produced a trio of shots in the first half, and although the Bulldogs fired off 10 of their own, both teams went into the locker room with a scoreless tie.
It wasn’t until the 68th minute that AAMU scored its first goal. Bulldog MfanaFuthi Bhembe scored the first of his two goals on the day knocking in the ball from seven feet away.
Six minutes later, Mosito Ranko headed the ball into the cage off a right-side pass from Lwazi Maziya, making the score 2-0.
At the 80-minute mark, Ranko assisted Bhembe on his second winner with a pass from the right side, and Bhembe scored the insurance goal for a 3-0 advantage.
“We knew they were going to be quick and athletic,” said head coach Kevin Kennedy. “They were both, and they caused us trouble. All credit to Alabama A&M. They have some great players and they were just better on the day.”
The Eagles attempted to turn things around on offense in the second stanza, but were unable to compete with AAMU’s 10-2 shot advantage in the second half.
Eagle Daniel Smith (Marietta, Ga.) fired a pair of shots, while teammates Jarryd Nolette (Windermere, Fla), Julian Donaldson (Aurora, Colo.) and Andres Cabrero (Mableton, Ga.) tallied one shot apiece.
Sophomore goalkeeper Joey Ralph (Martinez, Ga.) had a busy afternoon, stopping nine of the Bulldogs 12 shots on goal. AAMU’s Paul Musoke made two saves on the day.
“We’ll have to regroup, hope the boys respond and play better on Sunday,” said Kennedy.
The Eagles will have Saturday to prepare for the second of two matches in the non-conference invitational, clashing with tournament host Mercer, Sunday at 5 p.m.
UNC Greensboro 1, Dayton 1
Lafayette 3, Davidson 0
GREENSBORO, NC ? UNC Greensboro and Dayton played to a 1-1 tie and Lafayette blanked Davidson, 3-0, in action Friday night at the 2007 UNCG Soccer Classic.
UNCG and Dayton both scored in the first half and then could not break the tie despite several outstanding opportunities for both teams. Dayton
(2-0-1) scored first at 15:27 when Tyler Imbrogno scored from 25 yards out.
He hit a shot from the left wing that skidded into the right lower corner of the goal for a 1-0 Flyer lead.
But the Spartans (1-1-1) tied it with just a tick over eight minutes to play before half. Tim Masters scored his first goal as a Spartan at 35:59.
David Worthen played a ball from just inside of the midfield stripe to the left side of the box. Thomas Campbell popped the ball into the air that Masters got control off at the 18. After a quick step to the middle, he hit a blast from 15 yards out to tie the game.
Both teams had more than their chances after that in the second half and two overtime periods, but could not get the equalizer. UNCG outshot Dayton 18-14, including 6-2 in the overtime sessions. Nate Berry had four saves for the Spartans, while Zac Gibbens had eight saves for Dayton.
With the tie, UNCG is now 17-2-5 under head coach Michael Parker in home openers. UNCG also has not been beaten in eight straight overtime contests going back to September 2005.
In the first game of the day, Lafayette (2-1-0) got a pair of goals from Scott Hawkins to down Davidson, 3-0. Phillip Nelson had four saves to record the shutout for the Leopards.
Lafayette took a 1-0 lead at 32:14 when Anthony Sepe scored from the left side of the box off a feed from B.J. Glenn. Hawkins’ first goal of the game made it 2-0 just before half. Hawkins followed Mike Celentano’s header with one of his own that found the net for a two-goal advantage just 1:58 before intermission.
Hawkins put the game out of reach with an unassisted tally at 79:55, a shot from 15 yards out that skipped off the nearside post and into the goal.
The teams were even in shots at 9-9. Davidson (0-3-0) held a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Action continues Sunday when Dayton takes on Davidson at 12 noon and UNCG faces Lafayette at approximately 2:30 pm.
AGATE
DAVIDSON..0..0..-0
LAFAYETTE..2..1..-3
SCORING: LC ? Sepe (Glenn) 32:14; LC ? Hawkins (Celentano, Cohen) 43:02; LC ? Hawkins (unassisted) 79:55. Shots: LC 9, DC 9. Saves: DC 3 (Ashton 3), LC
4 (Nelson 4). Corner Kicks: DC 5, LC 1. Fouls: DC 18, LC 11.
DAYTON..1..0..0..0..-1
UNCG......1..0..0..0..-1
SCORING: UD Imbrogno (unassisted) 15:27; UNCG Masters (Campbell, Worthen) 35:59. Shots: UNCG 18, UD 14. Saves: UNCG 4 (Berry 4), UD 8 (Gibbens 8).
Corner kicks: Dayton 7, UNCG 2. Fouls: UD 17, UNCG 12.