Davidson 3, Georgia Southern 0
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Davidson men's soccer team remained undefeated on the road and earned their third shutout victory of the season with a 3-0 win over Southern Conference foe Georgia Southern on Saturday afternoon at Eagle Field. Winners of their last six matches, the Wildcats are now 8-1 overall and 2-0 in SoCon play. Georgia Southern fell to 0-8-1 overall, 0-1-0 in the SoCon.
Senior forward Charlie Reiter scored his sixth goal of the season to remain as the team's scoring leader with 18 points. Sophomore Mark Millard recorded two assists. Senior Christian Hambleton scored his first career goal, while junior Yannick Pilgrim notched his fifth of the season.
The Wildcats' strong start paid off as Reiter scored to give Davidson an early 1-0 lead at 23:37. Millard passed the ball back to Reiter in the center of the goal box for a one-timer goal.
Georgia Southern nearly evened the match at one in the 41st minute, but sophomore goalkeeper Chip Sanders made two big saves. Sanders was able to make a stop on Georgia Southern's Jon Cox and then fend off a follow-up shot by David Leonard.
The 'Cats responded shortly thereafter as Hambleton, who missed the last two seasons due to injury, took a feed from classmate Machel Turner and scored shortly before the close of the half.
Pilgrim added an insurance goal 10 minutes into the second half. Millard sent a cross into the center of the box for Pilgrim on the play.
Davidson outshot Georgia Southern 20-9. The late-first half opportunity was Georgia Southern's only test of Sanders, while Mike Gubosh made seven saves for the Eagles. Davidson received four corner kicks while Georgia Southern had two.
Elon 1, Appalachian State 0
ELON, N.C. - A Chris Thomas goal in the 77th minute of action proved the difference as the Elon men's soccer team posted a 1-0 win over the visiting Appalachian State Mountaineers in Southern Conference action from Rudd Field on Saturday night. Elon improved to 4-4-1 on the season and 1-0-0 in the SoCon while extending its league regular-season winning streak to eight games, including an undefeated 2008 campaign. The Mountaineers fell to 3-6-1 overall and 0-2-0 in conference action.
After a quiet first half that featured only three total shots, Elon managed to break down the Appalachian defense late in the final period. Senior Justin Wyatt served a long cross from the right side of the field to the middle of the box. Thomas used his body to bump the ball and direct it into the far corner of the net to give the Phoenix the advantage at 76:12. The score was the freshman's fourth of the year.
With time dwindling down, Appalachian State picked up its pressure on the net, but the Elon defense held on for its fifth shutout of the season.
The Mountaineers nearly scored just minutes before the Elon goal when Sean Dreybus' short shot ricocheted off the near post. Elon did not allow ASU many good looks at the net and held a 10-6 shot advantage at the end of the game. Appalachian took five corner kicks compared to three by the Phoenix.
Elon keeper Clint Irwin tallied the 14th shutout of his career and made two saves in the contest. Appalachian goalie Collin Taylor stopped three shots in the loss.
UNC Greensboro 2, Wofford 2
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - UNC Greensboro rallied from a 2-0 halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 tie with Wofford in Southern Conference men's soccer action Saturday evening.
The Terriers extended their best-ever start to 5-0-3 on the season, 1-0-1 (4 pts) in league play. The Spartans are unbeaten in their last four matches (2-0-2) and are now 3-4-3 overall, 1-0-1 (4 pts) in SoCon play.
Wofford jumped out to an early lead with Kentrel Owens scored just 13:23 into the match. The lead became 2-0 at 29:39 when Wilson Hood's shot was knocked down by Spartan goalkeeper Peyton Ford, but Branson Hyatt knocked home the rebound for a two-goal advantage.
The Spartans came back in the second half, however. Thomas Campbell scored his third goal of the season, an unassisted marker into the right side of the net at 51:46.
With 16:19 to play, UNCG sophomore Matt Foxx chipped one over Wofford goalkeeper Thomas Hunter for his second of the year to tie the score.
Wofford had a 25-13 advantage in shots, including 11-1 in the first half. Ford, who came into the match having recorded a shutout in each of his last two outs, had 13 saves for the Spartans. Hunter finished with nine saves for the Terriers.
Alabama A&M 1, College of Charleston 0
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - A goal by Moses Semakula of Alabama A&M in the 70th minute would prove to be the difference as the Bulldogs defeated the College of Charleston men's soccer team, 1-0, in action this afternoon in Huntsville, Ala.
The Cougars fell to 6-5 on the year, while Alabama A&M improved to 3-8-1.
Charleston dominated the first half with a 7-1 shot advantage but could not get one through the net, including one by William Moore in the 33rd minute that hit the crossbar. The lone Bulldog shot of the half came in the ninth minute when Rogers Atugonza sailed the ball into the hands of Michael Flato, who came up with one of his two saves on the afternoon.
The Cougars could only manage two shots in the second half with yet another opportunity to score halted by the crossbar as Zach Prince's shot hit just high in the 66th minute. Alabama A&M responded with the goal by Semakula just four minutes later at 69:51, which would prove to be the game-winner.
Charleston ended the game with the 9-5 shot advantage, as well as the 5-3 edge in corner kicks. The Cougars had two saves, compared to three by the Bulldogs. Prince led the CofC effort with four shots, while Semakula and Abraham Kassaye paced the Bulldogs with two shots apiece.
The Cougars are back in action Tuesday, Oct. 6 when they host Elon in a 6:00 p.m. match at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
No. 22 Charlotte 1, Furman 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Luke Exley scored in the 36th minute to give No. 22 Charlotte a 1-0 victory over Furman in non-conference men's soccer action before a crowd of 1,110 on Saturday night at Stone Soccer Stadium.
With the victory, the 49ers improved to 6-1-2 on the season. Furman slipped to 4-4-2, suffering its first home defeat in six matches at Stone Stadium in 2009.
Evan James dribbled across the top of the box and centered a pass to Exley who curled his 25-yard shot past the outstretched arms of Furman keeper Maros Valko and into the right corner at 35:10 for the only goal of the night. The shot was Charlotte's only attempt on goal all night.
After defending for a large portion of the first half, Furman took control of the majority of possession over the final 45 minutes. Debola Ogunseye caused problems for the 49er defense drawing a foul that was ruled to be just outside of the box and also chipping a shot past the keeper that Charles Rodriguez saved off of the line to help Charlotte maintain the lead.
Charlotte keeper David Martin, who earned the win in goal with two saves, pushed a driving shot by Dane Roberts over the bar midway through the second half and smothered a Roberts effort in the final minutes to preserve the 49er lead.
The 49ers held an 8-6 shot advantage, but Furman managed a 3-1 edge in shot attempts on goal and 5-4 margin in corner kicks.
Furman begins a four-match road swing on Wednesday when it visits instate rival South Carolina. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. in Columbia, S.C.