Bulldogs Down Highlanders, Start Big South 1-0
September 20, 2008 | Men's Soccer
An early goal by Miguel Pinzon proved to be enough as the Bulldogs held off Radford for a 1-0 victory. The win gives Gardner-Webb a two-game winning streak and moves them to 1-0 in the Big South. Radford, who is ranked #9 in the South Atlantic Region of the NCAA, moves to 1-1 in the Big South.
The Bulldogs two-game winning streak couldn't have come at a better time. The first win was a momentum booster as it steered the Bulldogs away from an 0-5 record against their old conference, and this win made a statement by pushing the Bulldogs to the top of the Big South leader board.
Since his return from injury, senior Miguel Pinzon has been a playmaker for the Bulldogs. Pinzon scored, what turned out to be, the game-winning goal in the 22nd minute of play off a rebound in the box. Fellow senior Bradley Morrison took a free-kick from 20 yards out and Pinzon picked up the leftovers. The goal was Pinzon's first of the season, but he has only started three matches this season due to an earlier injury.
Shortly after Gardner-Webb took the lead, sophomore Adam Augruso was handed a red card by the lead official and was sent off, leaving the Bulldogs to play one-man down the rest of the match.
The rest of the match was a physical one as neither team wanted to back down from the other. A total of 40 fouls were recorded, and nine cards in all were handed out throughout the match. Both teams received four yellow cards with GWU getting the only red.
The biggest win for the Bulldogs came, ironically, at their defensive hold. The Bulldogs had struggled earlier in the season on defense, but in the past few games Coach Setzer's team has buckled down at the back line. Radford took 11 shots throughout the match, but only four were on goal. The Bulldogs also caught Radford with six offsides penalties.
Senior Dane Geraci has also stepped up these last few games. In his last three matches, Geraci has only given up one goal, and that goal came with three seconds left in 2OT.
"We escaped with one tonight," Coach Setzer said. "There are no easy teams in this conference, and Radford looked good out there. Looking forward, we need to build on this achievement so we'll be ready for what's next."
The Bulldogs will stay at home for its next match on Wednesday, September 24 where they will host neighboring Presbyterian at 7 p.m.
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