No. 11 Old Dominion 3, Elon 2 (OT)
ELON, N.C. - The Elon men's soccer team managed to overcome a two-goal deficit and force overtime, but the 11th-ranked Old Dominion Monarchs came away with the victory behind the golden goal of Yannick Smith in the 94th minute of action under steady rainfall at Rudd Field on Saturday night. The goal was Smith's second of the evening and helped the Monarchs remain an unbeaten 4-0-0 on the season. The loss dropped the Phoenix to 2-4-1 overall.
Elon rookie Tommy Allen got his first collegiate goal, an important one for the Phoenix as the equalizer came in the 89th minute and sent the game into an extra session. Elon had been pounding at the goal the entire second half, outshooting the visitors 12-6 in the final 45 minutes. The Phoenix held a 19-11 advantage in the shot column for the game.
Allen's goal came after a throw-in deep in Elon's offensive third of the field. The ball was being knocked around in the box and the freshman managed to rocket a shot from about 12 yards out into the middle of the net.
Minutes into the extra session, Old Dominion possessed the ball at midfield where Chris Harmon sent a pass to the left side of the box. Smith shot past his defender and diving keeper Reed Dillard, the ball bouncing off the inside of the near post and into the net for the game-winner.
"We played very well tonight," commented Elon head coach Darren Powell. "I thought we showed great character to get back in the game against, in our opinion, one of the top teams in the country. We feel we are progressing and hope it shows over the next couple of weeks. We need to get back to work to prepare for a tough Radford team next weekend."
After a quiet start to the game, Elon nearly struck with under 16 minutes showing on the clock in the first half. Midfielder Gabe Latigue's long attempt from the left side clanged off the cross bar and his rebound attempt sailed wide of the net.
With under eight minutes to play before the break, Elon's Danny Lovitz served a beautiful corner kick to the far post, finding the head of Austen King. King headed it to the middle of the net where an ODU defender was in perfect position to block it away. The header was one of several by King on the evening.
Despite having only four first-half shots, Old Dominion found the back of the net in the 40th minute. A speedy Gideon Asante gathered the ball on the left side of the box, dribbled and tucked in a strike from about 13 yards out to the far side of the net.
The Monarchs fed off the momentum to begin the second period when Smith netted his first goal of the evening in the 49th minute. Dillard was unable to corral Smith's first shot and the ODU striker was there for the rebound and the Monarch 2-0 advantage.
Elon wasn't discouraged and controlled possession for much of the second half. In the 56th minute, Allen nearly got a goal off a Phoenix corner kick, his header begin punched away by ODU goalie Victory Fancoz. Elon racked up 10 corner kicks, nine coming in the second period.
Finally in the 64th minute, the Phoenix cut the Monarch lead in half. Latigue served an Elon corner in the box where it was headed away. Senior midfielder James Carroll settled the ball, turned and found the bottom left corner from about 15 yards out.
Shortly after, rookie Jason Waterman rocketed a long shot that sailed just wide left of the goal and ODU continued to cling to the lead until the Allen equalizer in the 89th minute.
Both goalkeepers posted five saves in the contest. Smith had a game-high seven shots and Latigue attempted a team-high four shots.
Elon will look to rebound from the loss when it travels to Radford for a 6 p.m. kick on Saturday, September 24.
No. 25 East Tennessee State 3, Davidson 2
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - A goal in the 87th minute by David Geno proved to be the difference in a close back-and-forth battle, as defending Atlantic Sun champion No. 25 East Tennessee State ultimately prevailed over Davidson in non-conference men's soccer action Saturday night in Summers-Taylor Stadium.
After Geno received a pass from Itode Fubara, Geno sent what appeared to be an offlineshot from 20 yards out, but it glanced off a defender a trickled into the net, just inside the left post for the go-ahead goal for ETSU (5-1-0).
Junior Brian McGue had tied the game for Davidson (3-2-1) at 2-2 in the 57th minute. Sophomore Nick Grube sent a short pass to McGue, who ripped a low shot from just inside the 18-yard box that glanced off a defender and rolled into the net just inside the right post.
The game was tied at 1-1 at halftime after both teams traded goals early in the game.
Sophomore Alex Givens sent a through ball from the midfield to the top of the 18-yard box ahead of sprinting freshman Gabe Rivera. Rivera was able to fight for the ball, elude the defenders and the charging goalkeeper, and direct it into a wide-open net in the eighth minute.
ETSU was able to tie the score four minutes later after the Davidson defense was unable to clear the ball from in front of the six-yard box. Frank Doumbe found Aaron Schoenfeld, who one-touched it from eight yards out into the back of the net.
Itode Fubara put ETSU ahead 2-1 in the 51st minute. David Geno crossed the ball across the six-yard box to Fubara, who was unmarked by the right post.
McGue, the team's leading scorer with three goals, led the Wildcats with four shots, including a pair of chances in the second half that just sailed over the cross bar. The Wildcats turned the offensive pressure up late in the second half, but were unable to get the go-ahead goal after McGue tied the game at 2-2.
Senior goalkeeper Chip Sanders made a season-high five saves for the ‘Cats, including a pair of one-on-one saves. Ryan Coulter made four saves for the Bucs.
ETSU held a 16-11 edge in shots, but quality chances for both teams were even. ETSU managed just one more corner kick for a 5-4 edge in the category.
The game was the first of four consecutive road games. The Wildcats travel to Buies Creek, N.C. Wednesday to face Campbell. Their next home game is Oct. 4 against Duke.
Navy 2, UNCG 1
ANNAPOLIS, Md.-Navy's Nick Dubee scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner with just over eight minutes to play, as the Midshipmen handed UNCG a 2-1 setback in men's soccer Saturday evening at Glen Warner Soccer Facility.
While Dubee scored the game winner in the final minutes, two goals came in the opening minutes.
Navy (2-3-2) opened the scoring when Dubee scored in the fifth minute off an assist from Zach Davis.
UNCG (2-3-0) tied the match at 1-1 when Jonathan Leonard tallied his first goal of the season in the ninth minute on a loose ball in front of the goal.
After nearly 73 minutes of scoreless play, Dubee headed in a Patrick Sopko corner kick in the 82nd minute to give the Midshipmen a 2-1 advantage. Dubee's shot bounced off the UNCG defense before settling in the goal.
UNCG failed to get off a shot in the final eight minutes.
The Spartans were out-shot 15-12, but both teams had six shots on goal. UNCG goalkeeper Peyton Ford made four saves while keeper Aaron Dupere stopped five shots.
Aaron Reifschneider and Hakan Ilhan had three shots each for the Spartans.
Navy was whistled for 12 fouls while UNCG was called for 11. The Midshipmen caught off-sides seven times to just once for the Spartans. Navy had six corner kicks to just four for UNCG.
The Spartans return to action when they visit William & Mary, 7 p.m., Tuesday.