Wofford 1, USC Upstate 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Wofford Men’s Soccer team gained a 1-0 victory against USC Upstate in front of a large crowd at County University Soccer Stadium Friday night. Moe Kelli scored the game winning goal.
Kelli toke possession of the ball 17 yards out in the top left corner of the box. He played a cross to the middle of the box towards a Wofford attacking player, but the ball touched no one and curved into the right side of the box just by the outstretched arms of Upstate keeper Pat Regna as Wofford took the lead. Regna was shielded on the play and was shaded towards the intended player on the pass.
Upstate fell to 0-3-0 on the year, having dropped all three decisions by a single goal. Wofford improved to 1-0-2 on the year.
Upstate and Wofford played to a scoreless tie in the first half with the Terriers holding an 8-1 advantage in shots. However, Regna was forced to make just one save in the half with seven of Wofford’s shots going wide of the target.
Wofford was able to put together seven shots in the second half, three of which were on goal with Regna making two saves. The third shot on goal was the game-winner as Kelli’s intended cross found the net for the game’s lone score. Wofford finished the game with a 15-3 advantage in shots.
The Terriers play again Sunday in a Men’s and Women’s Soccer double header starting with the Women at 1:30 against Winthrop and the Men against Mercer at 4.
Davidson 2, UNC Asheville 0
DAVIDSON, N.C. ? Behind an early goal by junior Yannick Pilgrim, the Davidson men’s soccer team led throughout the match on their way to a 2-0 victory over UNC Asheville on the first day of the Davidson adidas Classic Friday night at Alumni Stadium.
Just 3:10 into the match, Pilgrim scored what turned out to be the game-winner on a textbook attack by the Wildcats. Junior midfielder Alex Caskey controlled possession and advanced the ball into the penalty box before connecting with sophomore Mark Millard coming down the right side. After dribbling past his defender towards the end line, Millard sent a high crossing pass through box towards a diving Pilgrim, who managed to maneuver through a group of Bulldog players and get a head on the ball, sending his shot into the near post from two yards out for his first goal of the season.
“It was great for the team to put it together for another important win, and the shut-out makes is doubly pleasing,” said Davidson head coach Matt Spear, “Mark’s cross to a diving header by Yannick was a thrill to watch. Those two have developed a good connection so far this season.”
After gaining the 1-0 advantage, Davidson (2-0) continued to exploit its ability to maximize their spacing on the field, forcing UNC Asheville (1-2-1) to defend from sideline-to-sideline throughout the half.
In the second half Davidson, in search of an insurance score, put together a flurry of offensive activity with under 25 minutes remaining in the match. At the 22:10 mark Caskey had a breakaway chance that was deflected out of bounds, which he followed seconds later with a rocket shot from outside the box that was caught by the outstretched arms of the UNCA goalkeeper for the save.
Not to be denied, Caskey found pay dirt when he converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute to give the Wildcats the final 2-0 margin. On the play, Caskey was attempting to drive across the box and was taken down from behind by a Bulldog defender just inside the penalty area to gain the PK and score his team-high second goal of the year.
UNC Asheville continued to press for the remainder of the contest, putting together four shots in the final minutes of play, but could not find the back of the net against the stingy Wildcat defense, who recorded their first shut out of the season.
With the win, Davidson improves to 2-0 for the first time since the start of the 2005 season, a year in which the Wildcats won the Southern Conference regular season championship and advanced to the conference tournament final.
Wildcat goalkeeper Chip Sanders recorded his first career shut out and tied a career high with five saves on the night. Pilgrim and Caskey tied for the team-high with three shots taken, and Davidson had six players combine for 13 scoring attempts on the night, eight of which were on goal.
Davidson will look to extend their winning streak this Sunday, Sept. 13 when they take on Coastal Carolina in the finale of the Davidson adidas Classic. Kick off is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.
Appalachian State 3, Alabama A&M 2 (2OT)
WILMINGTON, N.C. - Appalachian State University men's soccer came back from two separate one-goal deficits to defeat Alabama A&M 3-2 in double overtime Friday night at UNC Wilmington Soccer Stadium.
With two minutes left in the second overtime, Arie Muniz converted a penalty kick to lift the Mountaineers over the Bulldogs.
Abraham Kassaye gave the Bulldogs (1-3) a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute when he scored off a rebound of a Rogers Atugonza shot.
That was all the scoring for the first half as A&M held a 9-6 shot advantage. Collin Taylor kept Appalachian (2-2) in the game by making five saves.
The second half was a different story as the Apps came out on the attack, tying the score in the 49th minute when Nate Latigue scored off an assist from J.J. Elder.
Alabama A&M came back to take the lead 11 minutes leader when Atugonza scored an unassisted goal from six yards out.
Appalachian wouldn't go away, in the 74th minute Shotaro Yoshida centered a pass from the left side that Sean Dreybus headed into the back of the net to tie the game and set up Muniz's game-winner.
Appalachian outshot A&M 16-3 in the second half and 4-0 in the overtime sessions and held an 15-5 advantage in corner kicks.
Taylor finished the night with six saves to earn the win while Daniel Obfinsua made 10 saves in the loss.
The Apps continue the tournament when they play West Virginia at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
College of Charleston 3, North Florida 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Three separate College of Charleston men's soccer players tallied goals as the Cougars shutout North Florida, 3-0 in the first game of the 2009 Furman Diadora/Spinx Invitational on Friday afternoon.
With the win, the Cougars improved to 4-0, while North Florida fell to 0-3. Charleston closes out the Furman/Diadora Spinx Invitational when they play Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday, Sept. 13 at noon.
In the first half, Charleston's Matt Morris scored the game's first goal on a penalty kick in the fourth minute.
The Cougars made it 2-0 in the 26th minute, as Sean Flatley scored from 19 yards out to record his second score of the year. Morris was credited with an assist on the play, his third of the season, after volleying the ball to Flately.
Charleston took the 2-0 lead into the half and would add an insurance goal in the 82nd minute, as Ralph Lundy, III scored the first goal of his collegiate career off an assist from Kareem Yearwood.
In the half, the Cougars fought off an arsenal of shots by the North Florida offense, as goalies Clark Hankins and Michael Flato made a total of five saves in the period to preserve the shutout.
Overall, the Cougars recorded a shutout victory despite being outshot 11-9 by North Florida. The Ospreys also had a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks. The shutout win was the third straight for the Cougars.
Elon 0, Longwood 0
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Defense was the story in the first game of the UNCG Kickoff Classic as the Elon men's soccer team played the Longwood Lancers to a scoreless tie on Friday night at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. Elon moves to 0-2-1 on the season and Longwood sits at 1-1-1 overall.
"I thought it was a good team performance against a well-organized Longwood team that stuck to its task well," commented Elon head coach Darren Powell. "We have just got to get back on the practice field and keep working and hope to capitalize sooner rather than later."
Elon outshot Longwood 19-10 in the contest and took eight corner kicks compared to five by the Lancers. Phoenix keeper Clint Irwin notched his first shutout of the season, the 10th of his career, making three saves in the effort. Longwood goalie Joel Helmick made five saves in the game.
Elon was strong on the attack in the opening period, but continued to struggle on the finish. The Phoenix made Helmick work from the opening kick. In the early minutes, Helmick stopped a long shot from senior Erfan Imeni as well as the ensuing rebound shot off the foot of freshman Chris Thomas. Minutes later, senior Daniel Street took advantage when Helmick came out of the box too early, but his shot floated just wide right of the goal.
The momentum shifted midway through the half, as the Lancers managed several quality shots. Irwin and the Phoenix defense held Longwood at bay, with Irwin corralling two shots and senior back Austin King earning a team save to keep the game scoreless at the break. Elon held a 9-4 shot advantage through the first 45 minutes.
The second half continued in similar fashion, with most of the action taking place in Elon's attacking third of the field. Despite a 7-3 shot advantage, the Phoenix were unable to capitalize and the game continued into extra minutes.
Imeni sent a shot just high in the opening minute of the first overtime and Irwin made a strong punch save on a Lancer shot as the game remained scoreless through 100 minutes of action. In the final 10 minutes, Stephen Miller rocketed a shot toward the far post, but Helmick punched the ball over the crossbar to preserve the tie.
Elon will take on Marshall on Sunday, Sept. 13 in its final game at the UNCG Classic.
Furman 2, Florida Gulf Coast 2
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Senior Nasarachi Onyeuku scored on a header in the 87th minute to help Furman erase a 2-1 deficit and earn a 2-2 draw with Florida Gulf Coast in the night cap of the Diadora/Spinx Invitational on Friday evening at Stone Soccer Stadium. College of Charleston blanked North Florida 3-0 in the tournament opener.
Onyeuku rose above his defender at the far post and hammered Debola Ogunseye’s cross past FGCU goalkeeper Matthew Smith at the 86:53 mark to force overtime as Furman snapped its two-match skid.
Mark Gabriel opened the scoring for Furman (1-2-1) just past the 43rd minute mark poking a shot that deflected off of a Florida Gulf Coast player and trickled into the left corner. Nicky MacKain and Eric Cobleigh added assists on Gabriel’s first collegiate goal. FGCU knotted the match at 1-1 in the 73rd minute. Christian Raudales found space outside of the box and rifled a shot that glanced off of a defender and wrong-footed Furman keeper Alec Kann as it landed in the left side of the net.
The Eagles (1-2-1) grabbed the lead with less than eight minutes to go in regulation as Jelani Smith delivered a through ball into the middle of the box and Westin Vallentine directed a shot by Kann at 82:02. Onyeuku’s tying goal came after Ogunseye took a pass from Warren Creavalle, beat a defender and lofted a cross to the senior who was charging in at the far post.
Furman held a 15-8 edge in shot attempts, including a 6-3 advantage in shots on goal. Kann made one save for the Paladins while Smith stopped three shots for the Eagles.
The tournament concludes with a doubleheader on Sunday at Stone Stadium. Charleston battles Florida Gulf Coast at noon before Furman faces North Florida at 2:30 p.m.
UNC Greensboro 1, Marshall 1
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? Teams were fit to be tied on the first day of the UNCG Kickoff Classic as Elon and Longwood played to a scoreless tie and UNC Greensboro and Marshall played to a 1-1 tie in men’s soccer action Friday night at UNCG Soccer Stadium.
In the nightcap, UNCG (0-2-1) scored first when E.J. O’Keeffe scored off of a perfect corner kick play. Mike Magnotic’s ball went into the middle of the box, where the tall O’Keeffe went high in the air to head it just under the crossbar for his first goal of the season and a 1-0 lead with 21 minutes gone in the match.
Marshall tied it, however, at 55:05. An initial shot Devin Perkins was knocked down by a Spartan defender at the near post. An attempted clear from a crowd in front wound up at the feet of Matt Dickerson, who pounded it home for his second goal of the season.
While UNCG played the last 27 minutes a man down following a red card, both teams had several outstanding opportunities. UNCG’s Peyton Ford made a leaping save to the upper 90 on the near side to keep the game tied late in regulation. Marshall’s Daniel Withrow had a great save in a one-on-one with UNCG’s Jamel Johnson in overtime.
Sunday’s action will have Elon facing Marshall at 12 noon, followed by UNCG and Longwood at 2:30 p.m.
Gonzaga 3, Georgia Southern 0
SPOKANE, Wash. - The Georgia Southern men's soccer team (0-4) dropped a tough match 3-0 to Gonzaga (2-1-2) in the opener of the Gonzaga/Nike Soccer Classic.
The Eagles kept pace with the Bulldogs in almost ever statistic. They recorded nine shots on goal to Gonzaga's 10, and both teams took two corner kicks.
Georgia Southern got shots on goal from six different players. Rich Heyer, Jon Cox and Austin Steele all recorded a pair of shots on goal.
Both teams got the offense started early. The Eagles attacked first when Matt Starks's header from 15 yards out hit the crossbar in the 4th minute. The Bulldogs notched their first shot on goal in the 6th minute with a shot from the left side that was saved by Joey Ralph.
Mike Gubosh entered the game at the 8:23 mark and less than a minute later recorded a save. Gon Schilperoort won a battle for the ball and took a short chip shot that Gubosh saved.
The Eagles' defense blocked a pair of shot attempts by Tye Perdido in the 16th minute.
The Eagles went on the offensive in the 22nd minute, recording three shots on goal in a two minute span. Heyer recorded his first shot on goal in the 22nd minute with a shot from 14 yards out. Cox launched a low shot to the post in the 23rd minute that was saved by Scott Barnum. Heyer came back a minute later with a short chest-high shot.
The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard in the 40th minute with a long free kick shot by Ben Funkhouser from 35 yards out.
Cameron Troutman recorded the final shot of the half. Troutman launched a short shot off of a throw, but Scott Barnum made a juggling save to end the half.
The second half started much like the first with the Eagles and the Bulldogs both on the attack. Steele and David Leonard both had great chances. Leonard's shot from the right side hit the far post in the 49th minute. Steele stroked a low shot from 14 yards out that was saved at the post in the 50th minute.
Gonzaga notched their second goal at the 71:41 mark. Nick Barclay found the left side of the net after a through pass. The Bulldogs added their third goal 11 minutes later when Tye Perdido knocked in a through ball at close range.
The Eagles will wrap up the Gonzaga/Nike Soccer Classic Sunday with a match against Oregon State at 1:30 p.m.