Georgia Southern 2, Davidson 1 (OT)
DAVIDSON, N.C. - In their regular-season finale, the Davidson men’s soccer team suffered a heartbreaking loss when Georgia Southern scored the game-winning goal with 47 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Eagles to a 2-1 victory over the Wildcats Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.
After the two teams battled through over 99 minutes of back-and-forth action, GSU’s Sean Sandoval was able to get a shot off from just outside the six-yard box that found the back of the net for the game-winner, coming at the 99:13 mark of the first overtime.
Davidson fell behind, 1-0, in the 24th minute of the first half via a goal by Georgia Southern’s Austin Steele that was set up by a long throw-in that found its way into the penalty box where Steele connected on a header into the right side of the goal.
Despite finding themselves in a one-goal deflect, the Wildcats kept battling, as they have throughout the season, and scored the equalizer just under five minutes later. Junior Charlie Reiter, who has been on an offensive tear in the past few matches, dropped a curving through pass over the Georgia Southern (6-8-0, 3-3-0 SoCon) defense right on the feet of freshman Kyle Engle. Engle collected the pass, and maneuvered past the remaining defenders to set up a point-blank shot on the Eagle goalkeeper, which he fired into the far side of the net for his first career goal. The assist was Reiter’s first of the season, and gives him five points overall, fourth-highest on the team.
Reiter had a game-high six shot attempts to go along with his assist, which is tied for the most by a Davidson player this season. In addition to his scoring chances, Reiter also set up one of the ?Cats best offensive opportunities of the day, when with 7:12 remaining in the first half, he sent a free kick from the left side of the penalty box across the goal mouth, where the ball just snuck wide of the net and past the feet of the Davidson (4-13-1, 2-5-0 SoCon) attackers.
Playing in his final home match as a Wildcat, senior Cameron Griffin almost recorded his first goal of the year at the 31:51 mark of the second frame, tipping a shot off a free kick that went across the goal and grazed the outside of the goalpost and out of bounds.
Facing the prospect of overtime, the ?Cats stepped up the attack in the final five minutes of regulation, which was capped off by three back-to-back-to-back scoring chances that had the crowd on the edge of their seats as each attempt came within inches of sending Davidson home with a win.
Sophomore Alex Caskey had three shots on the match, with classmate Yannick Pilgrim also recording a trio of chances, two of which were on goal. Junior goalkeeper Robby Goldsberry was between the pipes for all 99:13 of action, making four saves on the day to add to his season total of 64, second-highest in the SoCon.
Davidson out-shot Georgia Southern for the match by a 20-15 advantage, with both squads taking a pair of shots in the overtime period. After neither team took a corner kick in the first half, the ?Cats had two corners in the second, and GSU taking one.
Appalachian State 2, UNC Greensboro 1
GREENSBORO, NC ? Juan Obregon scored twice and Appalachian State held off a late charge to defeat UNC Greensboro, 2-1, in men’s soccer action Saturday night at UNCG Soccer Stadium.
The Mountaineers put themselves in good position for a home field in next weekend’s Southern Conference Tournament quarterfinal round. Appalachian State is now 10-7-0 overall and 4-3-0 in the league, pulling into a tie for second with Furman. Georgia Southern and College of Charleston are both 3-3-0 in the league with one more match to play.
For UNCG (6-10-1, 2-4-0) to get a home quarterfinal match, it must beat Georgia Southern in Statesboro on Tuesday and then hope Wofford beats College of Charleston on Tuesday night. That would create a three-way tie for fourth at 3-4-0 and the Spartans would gain the fourth spot by virtue of wins over College of Charleston and, at that point, Georgia Southern. Georgia Southern topped Davidson, 2-1, in overtime on Saturday.
Obregon got the scoring started on an odd play at 33:43. Arie Muniz passed the ball down the right sideline to Obregon who hit a long cross. The ball floated over goalkeeper Chad Dickerson, off of the far post and into the goal for a 1-0 Appalachian State advantage.
Appalachian State went a man down late in the first half following a red card, but Obregon scored again at 68:58 off a penalty kick after a handball was called against UNCG inside the box.
The Spartans got back to within 2-1 with 6:06 to play. Tim Masters’ pass was redirected to Tebatso Manyama who knocked the ball home from nine yards out for his third goal of the season.
But UNCG could not get the equalizer and the Spartans’ senior night was spoiled. UNCG had a 21-13 advantage in shots and 10-3 in corner kicks.
Elon 1, Radford 0
ELON, N.C. - Following a scoreless first half, the Elon Phoenix netted a marker 3:05 into the final 45 minutes of play to pick up a 1-0 non-conference men's soccer victory over the visiting Radford Highlanders on Senior Night from Rudd Field. The win set the Phoenix's final regular season mark at 9-8-1. Radford fell to 7-8-2 on the season.
Both squads had three scoring opportunities in the first half, but were denied by the keepers.
Elon took advantage of its first chance in the second period of play. Ben Lunka played a ball from the right side to Justin Wyatt just inside the box near the center of the pitch. Wyatt then sent the ball to the far left side of the box where Aaron Parker launched a shot off the inside of the left post and into the goal for his sixth score of the season.
It was the only goal the Phoenix would need as Kyle Boerner made four saves to earn his second shutout of the year.
Radford's Zach Roszel finished the evening with five saves.
The Phoenix out-shot the Highlanders by a 15-7 overall margin and 6-4 in shots on goal. Radford earned six corner kicks to Elon's three.
Said Elon head coach Darren Powell, "It's always good to finish the regular season with a winning record. Now we must concentrate on the Southern Conference Tournament which starts next weekend."
Elon, winners of the regular season SoCon title, will now advance into the league tournament and will host a first round match at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8. Radford will visit East Tennessee State for a noon match that same day to conclude its regular season.
UNC Asheville 2, Wofford 1
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Host UNC Asheville scored the winning goal with less than a minute remaining in regulation for a 2-1 win to deny Wofford's bid for a victory in the Terriers' non-conference men's soccer finale Saturday in Asheville, N.C.
The Terriers, who were playing a man down for the final 35 minutes, rallied to knot the game winner at 87:46 when freshman Bryan Eddy connected with sophomore Kentrel Owens from five yards out. The goal was Owens' first of the campaign after leading the squad with five a year ago.
The game had remained scoreless until the 78th minute when the Bulldogs put the first mark on the board. Ryan Haupt netted a direct kick attempt from 20 yards out at 77:47 to give UNC Asheville (6-7-3) the lead.
Following Owens' game-tying tally, Wofford (5-12) continued to push forward, but the hosts would not be denied. Bryan Bartels set up Scott Szymanski at 89:34 for the clincher.
Both teams finished with 11 shots, while junior Yakov Rubinchik and sophomore Wilson Hood, in a return home, led the Terriers with three attempts apiece. Jake Hagedorn and Szymanski paced the Bulldogs with a pair each.
Wofford will conclude its regular season with the final Southern Conference match of the campaign, a 7 p.m. Tuesday meeting at College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C. The contest pits head coach Ralph Polson against the school he previously served as an assistant coach.
Coastal Carolina 2, College of Charleston 1 (OT)
CONWAY, S.C. --- A goal by Riley Phelps five minutes into the first overtime period lifted Coastal Carolina to a 2-1 victory over the College of Charleston in men's soccer action on Saturday evening.
With the loss, the Cougars fall to 9-8-0 overall, while Coastal Carolina improves to 8-7-1 on the year.
In the first period, the Cougars were the first the strike, as Matt Morris scored in the 24th minute after he took a rebound off a Kareem Yearwood shot that hit the post. Yearwood was credited with an assist on the play, as Morris tallied his sixth goal of the season and his first score since coming back from an injury last week.
Coastal Carolina then got on the scoreboard in the 37th minute, as Robbie McRight scored to knot the game up at one. James Stapleton was credited with an assist on the play.
In the second half, Coastal Carolina out shot the Cougars 10-6, but failed to score a goal. Charleston goalie Brendan Smith kept Charleston in the match and Coastal Carolina off the scoreboard, as he recorded six saves in the period.
In overtime, Coastal Carolina took the only two shots in the period, as Phelps scored the game-winner 5:06 into the period. Ross Kelly was credited with an assist on the score.
Overall, Coastal Carolina out-shot the Cougars 19-11 in the match, while Smith made 10 saves on the night.
The Cougars will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 4th when they host Wofford in the team's regular season finale at Patriots Point Soccer Stadium. Game-time is set for 7 p.m.