Davidson 3, College of Charleston 2 (OT)
DAVIDSON, N.C. - The Davidson men's soccer team came from behind to win for the third time in the last four matches this season, defeating the College of Charleston on an overtime penalty kick by junior midfielder Alex Caskey on Wednesday night in Alumni Stadium. Davidson improved to 7-1, 1-0 SoCon, while the CofC fell to 6-4, 0-1 SoCon.
The College of Charleston held a 2-0 lead until the 72nd minute when sophomore defender Allen Page headed in a Charlie Reiter corner kick. Fifty-nine seconds later, Reiter scored off a perfect cross from junior forward Yannick Pilgrim. Just 2:18 into overtime, senior forward Machel Turner was fouled within in the six-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick attempt for Caskey. The reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week converted to secure Davidson's second overtime win of the season.
Reiter's three points on the night give him a team-leading 16 (5 goals, team-leading 6 assists). Caskey's goal was his team-high sixth of the season.
The Wildcats' offense doubled their shot output in the second half with 14 attempts to CofC's four. The 'Cats outshot CofC 22-10 for the match.
The win extends the 'Cats win-streak to five games and keeps them on track to match start of the 1990 season, in which Davidson opened at 10-1.
Zach Prince scored first for CofC at 18:24. Matt Morris delivered the ball to Prince in the goal box near the left post. Davidson goalkeeper Chip Sanders came out to challenge, but Prince poked the ball to his right and it trickled in just inside the far-post.
Morris created CofC's second opportunity as well, feeding the ball to Francis Twohig just outside the 18-yard box in the center of the field. Twohig was able to elude a Davidson defender and rip the ball past Sanders for the 2-0 lead.
Davidson increased the offensive pressure in the second half, but was not able to score until there were less than 20 minutes remaining. On Davidson's fifth corner kick of the game, Reiter's pass from the far corner sailed across the goal box where the six-feet, four-inch tall Page was able to head it in at the goal line next to the near-side post.
The 'Cats did not relent on the ensuing possession, driving the ball deep into the CofC territory near the far corner of the pitch. Pilgrim crossed the ball to a charging Reiter, who ripped a hard shot into the upper right corner of the net to even the match at two.
The game went to overtime where Turner was fouled to give Caskey the penalty kick opportunity. The Dunwoody, Ga. native came through, scoring to the right of goalkeeper Michael Flato. The goal was Caskey third penalty kick tally and his second game-winner.
Flato made seven saves total, while Sanders made three.
UNC Greensboro 2, Furman 0
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Will Mack and Jamel Johnson both scored in the final eight minutes of the match as UNC Greensboro topped Furman, 2-0, in the Southern Conference men's soccer opener for both teams.
UNCG snapped Furman's five-match unbeaten streak (3-0-2) and handed the Paladins their first loss since September 6. They shutout a Paladin team that had scored 14 goals in its last five matches, with UNCG's redshirt freshman Peyton Ford recording three saves to notch his second straight shutout. Furman had not been shutout in its last 13 matches going back to last October 18.
It was the first time in the last nine meetings that the match was decided by more than one goal, but the match was just as close as the rest.
Although both teams have several great opportunities throughout the match, the Spartans (3-4-2, 1-0-0) finally broke through at 82:14. Thomas Campbell made a long run and finally sent a through ball into the middle of the box for Will Mack. Mack, a sophomore from Mooresville, N.C., blasted it into the upper 90 on the near side for his first collegiate goal.
With Furman (4-3-2, 0-1-0) pressing to tie the score, UNCG got a late insurance tally. With 35 seconds left, the Paladins set up for a free kick from about 30 yards out on the nearside wing. The kick was knocked down by Thomas Campbell. A centering pass went into a crowd, came out with three UNCG players chasing and it was a footrace to the other end.
With teammates flanking him on either side, Jamel Johnson called his own number and hit a shot past helpless keeper Maros Valko for his first collegiate goal that locked up the win.
Wofford 1, Appalachian State 0
BOONE, N.C. - The Wofford men's soccer team earned a 1-0 over Appalachian State Wednesday in their first Southern Conference game of the 2009 Season. The Terrier's are now 5-0-2 overall and 1-0 in SoCon while The Mountaineer's move to 3-5-1 overall and 0-1 in SoCon.
Appalachian State was in control early in the match, but Wofford took advantage of ASU being unable to find the back of the net.
Bryan Eddy scored the only goal of the match when he headed in a cross from Armin Kinigadner. It was Eddy's first goal of the season.
The Apps had the first two scoring opportunities of the game, but shots by Sean Dreybus and Arie Muniz went high.
In the 38th minute, Steven Sassano broke open from the left side, but his shot also sailed high. Just three minutes into the second half, Antonio Harley collected a loose ball off of a Dreybus corner kick, but his shot went just wide.
It was Wofford's first win over Appalachian State in program history.
Thomas Hunter made five saves to collect his fourth shutout of the season while Drake Branson made two saves in the loss.