Davidson 1, Gardner-Webb 0 (OT)
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Senior midfielder Alex Caskey scored the game-winning goal in the 92nd minute to give Davidson men's soccer a 1-0, overtime-win over Gardner-Webb Friday evening at Greene-Harbison Field.
Caskey (Dunwoody, Ga.) fired the winning shot from the left, outside the 18-yard box just off the end line. Despite traffic in front of the net, the ball found its way through, past the goalkeeper and into the right side of the net.
"Sometimes you win games early and sometimes you win games late," said Davidson head coach Matt Spear. "You never know when that moment is going to come, and it came in the 92nd minute for us tonight. It was a critical play by a critical player.
"Alex again demonstrated that he is a talented player and tremendous leader that can raise his level of play to win close games like these."
With the win, Davidson improves to 3-1-2, while Gardner-Webb falls to 2-4.
A strong defensive effort kept the Wildcats in position to win. Junior goalkeeper Chip Sanders (Thomasville, Ga.) earned his second shutout of the season, making four saves, while the 'Cats defensive unit yielded just eight shots. Sanders stopped a penalty kick in the 84th minute and recorded a save off a Gardner-Webb corner kick in the final seconds of regulation.
"Earning our second shut out of the season is huge for us," said Spear. "Chip Sanders was excellent and made some crucial saves. We played a bend-but-not-break defense, and anytime you can do that on the road, it is an accomplishment. I am very proud of the entire defensive unit's performance."
Davidson had opportunities to take the lead in the first half. A one-on-one opportunity for junior forward Mark Millard (Oak Ridge, N.C.) went just wide left in the 10th minute. In the 40th minute, a shot by freshman Jake Keator (Jacksonville, Fla.) was blocked and junior Garrett Bostwick (Cary, N.C.) put the rebound on goal, but Gardner-Webb defenders were there to make the save. Sophomore midfielder Brian McGue led Davidson with three shots, two on goal.
Gardner-Webb goalkeeper Adam Garcia made three saves, while Davidson held an 11-8 advantage in shots.
"We weren't quite as energetic and cohesive tonight as we would have liked, but we were able to get the result we wanted," said Spear. "The experience of winning on the road in an overtime situation will help us as the season progresses."
After going 1-1-1 in their last three games on the road, which included two against top-25 teams UC Santa Barbara and UCLA, Davidson will return to Alumni Stadium for a Tuesday night match against Atlantic Coast Conference power Virginia Tech. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m.
Notes: This was the first meeting between the Davidson and Gardner-Webb men's soccer teams ... Caskey is now tied with Millard for the team lead in scoring with three goals and an assist.
UNCG 1, Navy 0
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Matt Strine scored 11:54 into the match and Peyton Ford made a diving save with 15 minutes left to preserve the shutout as UNCG handed Navy its first loss of the season, 1-0, in men's soccer action Saturday night at UNCG Soccer Stadium.
The Spartans (4-2-0) won their third straight overall and sixth straight at home dating back to last year. Navy, off to its best start since 2001, entered the night as one of 15 unbeaten, untied teams left in Division I. The Spartans probably knocked the Mids out of the Top 25 with the win - just as UNCG has done twice before this season. Charlotte and William & Mary were also on the cusp of making it into the NSCAA Top 25 when UNCG knocked those two teams off.
"I think we've started to mature," said UNCG interim head coach Justin Maullin. "I think we are starting to make less mistakes. We are starting to manage the game better. It is a young crop of players that is starting to mature and learn from every game.
"I am extremely happy with our back four and the midfield has been excellent for us. Matt Strine and Fannar Arnarsson have been excellent. They are doing exactly what we have asked them to do."
Strine's tally, his first this season, came from eight yards out near the left post. Aaron Reifschneider's long throw-in from the right sideline skidded through the box and made it through a crowd to Hakan Ilhan. Ilhan's nifty heel pass found Strine at the near post, who popped up home for a 1-0 Spartan lead.
With 15 minutes left, an odd angle shot by Navy's Sam Miller almost tied the game. Miller, from near the same post as Strine's, flipped a ball towards the goal. The ball went off goalkeeper Peyton Ford and started spinning along the goalline. Just as a Navy player was sliding towards it, Ford dove and secured the loose ball to maintain the lead.
The Spartans had a chance to make it 2-0 three minutes later when Hakan Ilhan broke loose and streaked from midfield towards a one-on-one with Navy goalkeeper Aaron Dupere. However, defender's Alex Foskett hustled back and got a piece of Ilhan's shot to thwart the chance.
Ford recorded four saves for his second shutout this season and the fifth of his career. Dupere made five saves for Navy.
UNCG returns to action on Wednesday night when it hosts Campbell at 7 p.m. to continue its four-match homestand.