Presbyterian 2, Wofford 1
CLINTON, S.C. – Presbyterian forward Matthew McManis scored twice in the last three minutes of the game, on two penalty kicks, to edge out the Wofford College men’s soccer team 2-1 at Edins Field on Sunday afternoon.
Wofford (1-2-0) struggled on defense late in the match, allowing three opportunities from penalty kicks late in the game. The first was shot wide left before the second in the 87th minute. The Terriers were called for a handball in the box, resulting in the match’s first successful penalty shot.
In the match’s last minute the Terriers would give the Blue Hose another shot, when the defense fouled Presbyterian’s Josh Carter on a sliding tackle in the box. McManis took his second penalty of the match and sunk the game-winning goal.
The squads were fairly even matched, with Presbyterian (1-1-0) holding a slight advantage against Wofford in most statistical categories. Presbyterian topped Wofford in shots (12-11), corner kicks (6-5) and saves (6-5).
The game was extremely physical, with both sides racking up their fair share of fouls, adding up 39 between the two teams. The Terriers were given three yellow cards, with two given to defender Charlie Keeley. Presbyterian’s Tommy Erwood earned a yellow, as well.
The Terriers began creating opportunities early, with their first attempt coming in the third minute. After forcing a corner kick, junior midfielder Will Puckett crossed the ball into the box for sophomore Matthew Aurednik. Aurednik headed the ball, sending it just high.
Wofford was then forced to step up on defense. Just one minute later, Presbyterian’s John Speed made a try on goal, colliding with sophomore keeper Garrett Closs. Closs dove on the ball for the save and gave Terrier fans a small scare as he appeared to be injured for a moment before eventually shaking it off and playing out the remainder of the game.
The Terriers made a few more defensive stops, highlighted in the 14th minute, when senior outside back Ryan Hurst slid in the box to stomp out a potential one-on-one situation.
The lone goal for Wofford would come in the 24th minute, when junior midfielder Nestor Jaramillo would score. The break was started by senior midfielder Nick Orton, who would lob the ball in to junior midfielder Connor Davis. Davis then beat a defender to create a two-on-one opportunity with Jaramillo. Davis passed the ball across the box, and Jaramillo put it away for the Terriers’ goal.
Davis nearly scored on a long, well-placed cross from Hurst in the 42nd minute. The ball sailed toward the far post, where Davis sent the ball to the opposite side, into the net, before the play was eventually deemed offside. Wofford carried a 1-0 advantage into the halftime break.
The Terriers felt more defensive pressure in the second half. It looked as if the Blue Hose would make their first goal of the day in the 59th minute on a shot inside the 18-yard box from Thomas Valente until Keeley jumped in the way of the ball for a defensive save.
Wofford saw its closest chance to score again in the 83rd minute, when senior forward Carlos Dominguez-Gonzalez was fouled in the Presbyterian box, leading to a penalty shot. Jaramillo would take the shot low and to the left, but the try was blocked by Presbyterian keeper Johnny Archer.
Closs is now 1-2-0 after his four save performance, while Archer moved to 1-1-0.
Wofford returns to the field on Monday, Sept. 15, when it will play Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C. The match begins at 7 p.m.
Radford 1, ETSU 0
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Following an unbeaten weekend to start the season, the ETSU men's soccer team suffered its first setback of 2014, falling narrowly Saturday night to Big South opponent Radford, 1-0, inside Summers-Taylor Stadium.
The Buccaneers (2-1) played Radford to a scoreless draw through the first 58 minutes of play before allowing the Highlanders' game-winner in the 59th minute, a goal by junior defender Jamie Summers.
Summers beat ETSU goalkeeper Daniel Adelman following a disjointed battle for a loose ball in the box. Redshirt senior Chel Ho Park Kim finally found possession and tapped the ball to an open Summers for the score.
The Highlanders (1-2) outshot ETSU, 13-6, in the match.
Radford opened the season with a pair of narrow, one-goal losses at Clemson and No. 23 Charlotte.
ETSU, which opened the season with wins over regional powers William & Mary and VCU, will be back in action Sept. 13 at 7 p.m., as the Bucs visit Kentucky.