Appalachian State 1, UNCG 0
BOONE, N.C. - ASU junior David Dodge (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) capitalized on a prime opportunity to net the game's only goal, as Appalachian State men's soccer (7-2-2, 2-0 SoCon) defeated defending Southern Conference champion UNCG (4-6, 1-1 SoCon) in a 1-0 game on Saturday night at ASU soccer stadium.
The win marks the Apps' eighth-straight game without a loss, the program's outright longest unbeaten streak since 1978. The Black and Gold posted a 6-0-2 record in its last eight games.
"To get a win over the defending conference champions, that's big," noted head coach Matt Nelson. "They are a good team, one of the toughest on our schedule. Our guys came out hard and deserved a win. We got our chances and were able to put a chance away."
Appalachian built a 9-3 advantage in shots in the first period but was thwarted by UNCG keeper Peyton Ford, who stopped all four ASU shots in the period.
The Mountaineers' nearly benefitted from mistake by Ford with less than two minutes to play in the opening half. Ford mishandled the ball, which was recovered by Appalachian's Nate Latigue (Cary, N.C./Panther Creek). The junior pressed the net, but Ford made a diving save to keep the game scoreless heading into the intermission.
Appalachian's big break came in the 68th minute. Senior Mark Bridges (Morganton, N.C./East Burke) fired a deep shot from the right side that caromed off the left post. The rebound found Dodge In prime, and the junior slammed his shot into the right side of the net. Dodge's goal was his first of the season, while Bridges is now tied with a team-high four assists.
"The goal couldn't have come at a better time," commented Dodge. "The ball fell right to me, and I was in the right place at the right time."
In the final minutes, the Spartans scrambled to equalize the score, but five second-half saves by ASU keeper Danny Free (Doncaster, England/Hall Cross School) secured Appalachian's 1-0 victory. Free finished the game with six saves total, earning his fourth career shutout.
ASU freshman Sekani Sinclair (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas) recorded a game-high four shots, while Dodge notched three on the day.
"The streak is great, but we try to focus game by game," added Nelson. "We'll celebrate this win tonight, but starting tomorrow, our sights are set on our next game."
The Mountaineers hit the road destined for Georgia Southern for their next game on Friday, Oct. 14 at 4 p.m.
Davidson 3, Elon 2 (2 OT)
ELON, N.C. - Chris Pettiglio's golden goal in the 109th minute lifted the visiting Davidson Wildcats to a 3-2 victory over the Elon Phoenix in Southern Conference men's soccer action from Rudd Field on Saturday night. Elon (3-7-1, 1-2-0) battled back from a goal down twice in the match but was unable to find the back of the net in the extra sessions.
With under two minutes remaining in the final overtime period, Davidson (5-5-1, 1-1-0) was awarded a free kick at the top of the box. The ensuing shot by the Wildcats' Peter Paras glanced off the bottom of the crossbar and bounced straight down. The loose ball was batted around until Pettiglio finished the winner in the middle of the net to give the ‘Cats the victory.
"This was another tough Southern Conference match," said Elon head coach Darren Powell. "Davidson played well and we fought back twice in the match but just didn't have enough to get the winner. Now we need to bounce back quickly and prepare for a home game against Clemson on Tuesday."
Elon managed to send the game to overtime with a score off the foot of Daniel Lovitz in the 86th minute of the contest. With the score 2-1 in Davidson's favor, Elon's Glenn Scott sent a long pass down the right side. Lovitz picked up the pass and slid a shot to the far post from about 18 yards out to keep the Phoenix hopes alive.
Elon had the best OT opportunity with under three minutes remaining in the first extra session. Midfielder Gabe Latigue sent a beautiful ball on goal, forcing Davidson keeper Chip Sanders to make the stop. The ball dribbled away but Sanders managed to tip it out of bounds before Jordan Smith could tap in the rebound.
The loss snapped a six-game winning streak against the Wildcats.
Both teams had some good chances throughout the first half, but it was the Wildcats who got on the board just before the break. Davidson's Alex Givens collected the ball in the middle of the box and sent a short pass to the right side where Jake Keator drove his first goal of the year to the far lower corner to give the ‘Cats a 1-0 advantage in the 43rd minute.
Elon's best first-half chance came in the 31st minute when senior midfielder Nick Millington rocketed a shot from about 23 yards out that banged off the crossbar. Shortly after, Lovitz came streaking down the field and found Chris Thomas who's shot was blocked away.
The Phoenix equalizer came off the head of defender Nick Butterly in the 57th minute. Elon had just earned a free kick near the top of the box and Latigue's shot off the kick went off the fingertips of Sanders to save the goal. On the ensuing corner kick, Latigue served the ball to the far post where Butterly tucked in his first goal of the season.
Elon nearly pulled on top minutes later when Millington made a great run into the box and passed left to Latigue. The midfielder's chip shot sailed high of the net. Seconds later, the Phoenix forced Sanders to make another great save when Smith sent a bullet from the right side on goal.
The momentum clearly in the Phoenix's favor, Elon continued to pressure the net, but it was Davidson who pulled on top late in the second half. In the 75th minute, Max Riehemann sent a deep shot from the left side from about 30 yards out. The ball slipped through the hands of Phoenix goalie Reed Dillard and gave the Wildcats the advantage once again.
Elon held a decided 23-13 advantage in the shot column and a 6-4 edge in corner kicks. Sanders had a solid night in the net with eight saves. Dillard stopped five shots.
The Phoenix will move out of conference action for a mid-week bout with ACC foe Clemson on Tuesday, Oct. 11. The game is slated to kick at 7 p.m. at Rhodes Stadium.
College of Charleston 2, Furman 2 (2 OT)
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The College of Charleston men's soccer team battled No. 33 Furman to a 2-2 draw at Patriots Point on Saturday night in Southern Conference action. The Cougars led twice but Furman had an answer both times to force an ultimately scoreless overtime.
"We probably played the best first half we have all season," said head coach Ralph Lundy. "We were very good and played tight defense, attacked well, held the ball a great deal of the time and scored a brilliant goal.
"Furman stepped it up in the second half and did well at playing balls forward. We needed to deal with that a little better. Both of their goals came on restarts and they put a lot of pressure on us with corner kicks but we fought and fought.
"It was just a battle and I'm proud of my players. They had to fight and work hard. The game was played at a high level so it was a quality match indicative of the quality of the Southern Conference. We wanted to win but we've got to take one step at a time and tonight was a very good effort."
The first half of the match was quiet and flowed from end to end until the Cougars notched a beautiful goal in the 33rd minute. Sean de Silva (Port of Spain, Trinidad) sent a ball from the left side of the box to the far side which was perfectly touched over a defender's head to the boot of Eric Fornell (Daniel Island, S.C.) who volleyed it into the upper-right corner of the net for his first collegiate goal.
Furman was much more offensive in the second half and put eight shots on frame and took away nine corner kicks in the period. They finally equalized the match in the 56th minute on one such corner-kick attempt when Daniel Hojaij sent the ball over everybody except Amadu Ndiaye who one-touched it inside the far post.
CofC took the lead right back minutes later on a free kick from just outside the top of the box. Ralphie Lundy (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) took the kick with his left foot and bent the ball around the Paladins' defensive wall and back into the right-side netting to put CofC up, 2-1.
Furman equalized for a second time in the 77th when Clint Ritter sent a ball deep into the box, Alex Crooks headed it back to the six-yard mark and Coleton Henning blasted it into the back of the net from there.
The teams battled out the remaining minutes without finding the net to require the extra time. The overtime periods didn't yield any real chances either way but CofC outshot Furman, 3-1, in overtime with all three shots going on goal.
The Cougars break from SoCon play to host Wake Forest on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at Patriots Point. The match will be sponsored by Roper St. Francis and be presented on the FOX Soccer Channel.