Gardner-Webb Drops Tough Match to Spartans, 2-1
October 14, 2007 | Men's Soccer
The Gardner-Webb men's soccer team dropped a tough match to the
visiting USC Upstate Spartans Sunday night. After the Bulldogs
scored the first goal of the match, the Spartans fired back with
two unanswered goals to win 2-1. Jordan Gaines scored
Gardner-Webb's lone goal of the match.
Gardner-Webb controlled the ball very well in the opening minutes
of the match. Only four minutes and fifty seconds into the match,
the Bulldogs struck. Thanks to some precision passing, and a nice
cross into the box, Jordan Gaines scored the first goal of the
match with a shot from eight yards out. Both Zach Burkett and
Richard Godfrey were given assists on the play.
Instead of falling back and playing defensive (like they had
earlier in the season), the Bulldogs kept the pressure on USC
Upstate. Godfrey showed great footwork to earn himself several nice
chances, but all were denied. Bradley Morrison also did a great job
on the wing for Gardner-Webb. Morrison owned the sideline in the
first half, making nice runs and playing balls into the box.
Miguel Pinzone almost increased the Bulldogs lead as he and USC
Upstate's goalie contacted the ball at the same time, but the ball
was punched away. Sheldon Gordon saved what looked like to be a
sure breakaway goal when he slid in and kicked the ball away from a
USC Upstate player. Gardner-Webb's defensive, with help from its
offense, looked great in the first half.
The only mental error made by the Bulldogs' defense cost them a
goal. USC Upstate was able to tie the match up when Carter Ridgeway
scored from 30 yards out. Ridgeway sent in a nice downward bending
ball over Dane Geraci's head and into the back of the net to tie
the match at 1-1. The match remained tied going into the half.
Gardner-Webb seemed determined to score quickly in the second
period. Pinzone, Gaines, and Burkett all had nice shots on goal
within the first 10 minutes of the second half. USC Upstate's
goalie, Jason McCabe, had a lot of nice saves to keep the match
tied at 1-1.
After a cleared ball by the Spartans, Chad McCoy got the loose ball
and carried it up the field for USC Upstate. Just after passing
midfield, McCoy played a ball over the Bulldogs' backline to
Ridgeway. With the Bulldogs' defense close on his heels, Ridgeway
took three dribbles and chipped a shot over Geraci's head for his
second goal of the match. The goal put the Spartans up 2-1 with 15
minutes left in the match.
The Bulldogs tried their best to put another goal on the board but
were unable to do so. The Spartan's defense came through down the
stretch and denied all of the Bulldogs' attempts. The final score
shown Gardner-Webb-1 and USC Upstate-2.
Gardner-Webb's next match will be on the road at Cambell
University. The match is scheduled for this Thursday, Oct. 18th, at
5:30 p.m.
| Box Score |
| Combined Stats |
