Bulldogs March Past Keydets, 1-0
October 26, 2008 | Men's Soccer
The seniors on the Gardner-Webb men's soccer team ended their last home game on a happy note as the Bulldogs downed the Keydets of VMI, 1-0, on Senior Night at Greene-Harbison Stadium.
The Bulldogs opened the match with a 4-1 shot advantage in the first 16 minutes of action. Junior Gerard Hefferon put a nice shot on goal in the ninth minute, but VMI goalkeeper Brian Sowell came up with a nice save to keep the match scoreless. Several more chances were taken, but the Bulldogs were unable to connect.
Seeing as VMI seemed to be playing on its heels, Gardner-Webb pressed the ball to the Keydets' side of the field. Around the 24th minute the Bulldogs earned a corner kick opportunity.
Senior Bradley Morrison took the corner and passed it out to a wide open Timothy Oswalt along the left side of the field. Oswalt served in a nice ball towards the box that fellow senior Matt Niescierowicz won out of the air. Niescierowicz rose above the competition and headed it to Logan Swaim who blasted a low shot past Sowell to give Gardner-Webb a 1-0 lead. The goal marked Swaim's first of the season.
The Bulldogs had several more attempts on goal later in the half, but Sowell was able to use great instincts to keep the Bulldogs at bay. Morrison almost gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead with less than a minute in the half, but his free kick hit the crossbar and went sailing out of bounds to end the half.
The second half looked much like the first, Gardner-Webb outshooting VMI 7-3. The Bulldogs also held a 6-1 advantage in corner kick opportunities. However, Sowell did a great job in goal for VMI during the second half, making four saves and keeping the Bulldogs scoreless.
Although the Keydets weren't allowing any goals, they weren't scoring any either. Senior Dane Geraci came up with two saves in the second half, one with less than two minutes left, to shut out VMI for his fourth shut out of the season.
The win boosts Gardner-Webb to 6-9 overall, 5-2 in the Big South, while dropping VMI to 2-11 overall, and 1-4 in conference play.
The Bulldogs next match will come at Winthrop in the last conference match of the season. The game is scheduled for Thursday, October 30 at 7 p.m.
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