No. 15 Furman 2, Davidson 0
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Freshman Bobby Edet scored a pair of first-half goals less than one minute apart to lead 15th-ranked Furman to a 2-0 victory at Davidson in Southern Conference men’s soccer action on Saturday evening at Alumni Stadium.
With the victory, Furman improved to 8-1-2 overall and 1-0-2 in the SoCon while extending its unbeaten run to nine matches. The Paladins have registered eight shutouts in their last nine outings and have allowed only one goal since Sept. 1.
At the 36:45 mark, senior Martin Ontiveros sprung Edet loose inside the Davidson box and the rookie slotted a shot through the legs of Wildcat goalkeeper Matt Pacifici to put the Paladins in front, 1-0. Just 41 seconds later, Edet made a solo run to beat Pacifici and net his sixth goal of the season to up the margin to 2-0.
Edet has totaled three match-winning scores in 11 games for the Paladins this season.
Sophomore Sven Lissek recorded his seventh shutout and Furman’s eighth of the campaign by making two saves, including a sprawling stop of Alex Feliciano’s shot with less than two minutes to go before halftime.
Davidson, 6-5-1 overall and 1-2-0 in the SoCon, outshot the Paladins 6-2 over the final 45 minutes but were limited to only one shot on target. The Wildcats finished with a 10-7 edge in total shots, while Furman claimed a 4-2 advantage in shots on goal.
The Wildcats’ best chance came in the 66th minute, when Drew Brown connected with Max Pragnell on a cross, but the freshman’s attempt from just in front sailed high of frame.
Davidson’s leading scorer, Valeriy Sviderskiy, also had a good opportunity minutes earlier when he beat the Paladin defense down the sideline, but he missed wide of the far post.
Davidson will travel to conference rival UNCG on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. tilt.
Furman returns to action on Tuesday night when it travels to nationally ranked Clemson. Kickoff at Historic Riggs Field is set for 7 p.m. The Paladins will host nationally ranked Elon in a key SoCon showdown on Oct. 19 on Seagraves Field at Stone Stadium at 7 p.m.
Wofford 2, No. 16 Elon 1 (OT)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Junior defender Forrest Lasso scored the game-winning goal in the overtime period and freshman goalkeeper Garrett Closs made a huge penalty save in the 80th minute as the Wofford men’s soccer team upset No. 16 Elon 2-1 Saturday evening at Snyder Field.
With the victory, the Terriers improved to 7-4-1 overall and 3-0-0 in the Southern Conference. With the loss, the Phoenix falls to 9-2-1 overall and 1-1-0 in the SoCon.
In the first half, Wofford would create the first chance in the third minute when Lasso had a header off a cross that was saved by Elon goalkeeper Nathan Dean. The Phoenix would respond with a chance when Daniel Lovitz had a shot saved by Closs in the ninth minute.
The Terriers would strike first in the 35th minute, when sophomore midfielder Nestor Jaramillo would find junior defender Ryan Hurst on a long ball to the top of the 18-yard box. Hurst took a touch with his head past the defender and goalkeeper and fire a shot just outside the 6-yard box into the goal for his first of the season, making the score 1-0.
Wofford would create one final opportunity before the half when sophomore midfielder Will Puckett had a chance sail high over the goal in the 45th minute, keeping the score at 1-0 going into halftime.
In the second half, Wofford would have a couple of chances, the best coming in the 47th minute from Puckett, who had his shot blocked by a defender just outside the 18-yard box.
Elon would begin the charge of getting back into the match with a couple of great chances. James Brace would have two chances in the 65th minute, with one shot being blocked and the other sailing just wide.
The Phoenix would finally make the breakthrough in the 67th minute, when a shot from Brace inside the 18-yard box was deflected by a defender and floated into the net. It was Brace’s sixth goal of the season.
Elon would continue putting on huge amounts of pressure when Matt Wescoe had three shots in a span of six minutes, starting in the 67th minute, all three missing wide.
In the 80th minute, Elon would earn a penalty when Lasso fouled Wescoe inside the box. Wescoe stepped up to take the penalty and take a shot toward the lower right side of the net. Closs made a huge save, pushing the ball out to keep the game deadlocked at 1-1.
Elon would get one final chance in regulation to find a winner, but Jason Waterman’s header in the 89th minute was tipped over the bar by Closs, keeping the game at 1-1 going into the overtime period.
In the overtime period, the Phoenix would have the first chance to grab a game-winner when Waterman had a one-on-one chance with Closs miss just past the left post in the 94th minute.
Moments later, Wofford would clinch the game-winner in the 95th minute when Lasso fired a shot off a rebound into the net, earning the victory for the Terriers.
For the match, Elon outshot Wofford 15-12 and had the advantage in corners 13-1.
In goal for Wofford, Closs earned his fourth victory of the season, facing 15 Phoenix shots and making four huge saves. For Elon, Dean fell to his second loss of the season, facing 12 Terrier shots and making two saves.
Wofford is back in action on Tuesday when it travels to Boone, N.C., to take on Southern Conference opponent Appalachian State at 7 p.m. The Terriers return home on Oct. 19 when they host UNCG in Southern Conference play at Snyder Field starting at 7 p.m.
Elon returns home on Tuesday to host Georgia Southern at Rudd Field. That match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
UNCG 2, Appalachian State 1
BOONE, N.C. – The UNCG men’s soccer team picked up a pivotal Southern Conference road victory Saturday night as the Spartans notched a 2-1 victory over Appalachian State at ASU Stadium. The Spartans scored two second-half goals and got a key penalty kick save from redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Stephen Moffitt to secure the victory to run their unbeaten streak to three straight games.
Appalachian State (2-3-6, 0-2-1 SoCon) had the game’s first chance in the 12th minute of action. The Spartans handled the initial pressure and cleared the ball out of the 18-yard box. Mountaineer defender Harrison Delbridge stepped up and ripped a scorcher from 30 yards out on frame, but Moffitt was up to the task, making a diving stab on the ball ticketed for the top right corner to keep it a scoreless game.
The Spartans’ best opportunity in the first half came in the 34th minute of play. Junior midfielder David Reittinger ripped a shot form 25 yards out that Appalachian State goalkeeper Danny Free was able to push over the crossbar to keep the game scoreless.
The Mountaineers had the first half’s best scoring chance in the 43rd minute as they combined in the box with a cross to the back post that was sent back into 6-yard box. Stephen Chapman was alone 6 yards out and blasted the ball high over the crossbar.
UNCG (6-5-2, 1-0-1 SoCon) came out of the halftime break and controlled play from the start of the second half. The Spartans came within inches of scoring the first goal in the 48th minute as junior Justin Jones sent a cross through the 18-yard box. Freshman Hill Gwynn got on the end of the cross but pushed his shot from 5 yards out just wide of the goal.
The Spartans kept the momentum going, finding the back of the net in the 49th minute as their pressure forced a corner kick. Reittinger took the kick and whipped the ball into the box. Senior defender Mahdi Ali beat his defender to the ball and headed it into the side netting for his third goal of the season and the 1-0 lead.
Appalachian State had a prime chance to tie the game in the 56th minute off a set piece. The Mountaineers sent the ball into the box, where Donovan Japp got a header on the ball from 10 yards out, only to see Moffitt there to smother the ball and keep UNCG in the lead.
The Spartans took a 2-0 lead in the 61st minute of action as Gwynn won the ball down the right-hand side and beat an Appalachian State defender before sending the ball into the box. Sophomore Noah DeAngelo brought the ball down in the box and spun around his defender before beating Free near post to give UNCG a 2-0 lead.
Appalachian State looked like it would get back in the game in the 71st minute as it was awarded a penalty kick after UNCG was called for a foul in the box. Delbridge stepped forward for the Mountaineers and rocketed a shot toward the bottom left corner, but Moffitt played it perfectly and made a diving save to keep the Mountaineers off the board. The save was his second penalty kick save of the season, as he thwarted a kick from the spot against Longwood.
The Mountaineers pushed down the stretch trying to get back into the game. Delbridge had another chance in the 85th minute, as he got a head on the set piece and glanced it off the outside of the post.
Appalachian State finally broke through in the 89th minute, scoring with 1:02 left in regulation to spoil the Spartans’ clean sheet. The Mountaineers sent a long ball into the 18-yard box, where it fell between Moffitt and a UNCG defender. Matthew Melton got to the loose ball in between the two players and poked it into the back of the goal to make it a 2-1 contest.
The Mountaineers made it interesting in the final minute as UNCG was called for a foul in its half. Appalachian State sent the ball into the 18-yard box, where Delbridge got his head on the ball but pushed it wide of the goal on the final chance of the night.
Moffitt posted seven saves in the victory as the game marked the first victory for UNCG this season when it allowed a goal. The Spartans’ previous five victories had come by a shutout. Free was charged with two goals in the loss, as he made four saves for Appalachian State.
The Spartans return to action Tuesday night as they host SoCon foe Davidson. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.
The Mountaineers host Wofford on Tuesday at 7 p.m.