GWU's Norwegian Connection Strikes Again in 1-0 Win over Asheville
October 10, 2012 | Men's Soccer
Asheville, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb men's soccer team's "Norwegian Connection" struck again on Wednesday afternoon, as the duo of Jon Ole Reinhardsen and Marius Hammersmark connected on yet another corner kick goal to lift the Runnin' Bulldogs to a 1-0 win over the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in Asheville, N.C.
It was like déjà vu for the Runnin' Bulldogs, as the Reinhardsen goal, which came by way of a header in the 79th minute off a corner kick from fellow countryman Hammersmark, not only proved to be the game-winning goal on Wednesday afternoon, but the goal was also a carbon copy of the game-winning goal scored by the tandem in GWU's 1-0 win over VMI last Saturday afternoon.
The win pushes Gardner-Webb's winning streak to three straight matches and puts the Runnin' Bulldogs at 3-8-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the Big South on the year. The loss drops UNC Asheville to 1-12-0 overall for the season and 0-6-0 in conference play.
Looking to get on the scoreboard first, the Asheville Bulldogs' Kenneth Lingerfelt fired off the first shot attempt of the match in the second minute of the contest, only to have reigning Big South Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week Scott Krotee make the early save for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
After a second UNC Asheville shot sailed high and out of play 30 seconds later, the Runnin' Bulldogs took over possession and control of the ball and began to put the pressure on the home team's defense.
Over the next 15 minutes of play, the Runnin' Bulldogs outshot the Asheville Bulldogs 4-0, yet failed to put the go ahead goal on the scoreboard, as UNC Asheville goalie Dan Jackson registered a save on a John Sargent shot in both the fifth and the 12th minutes.
The two teams' would each post two shots apiece throughout the next 10 minutes of play, as GWU freshman Craig Swaby had his first scoring chance of the contest blocked by an Asheville defender in the 25th minute and then saw his follow up shot of the rebounded ball sail wide and offline.
Following an errant shot by Reinhardsen in the 31st minute, Krotee would be tested once more by Lingerfelt in the 36th minute, as the redshirt-senior made the stop, his second of the match, to keep the home team off the scoreboard.
GWU's offense continued to put shots on target over the next several minutes of the first half, as Hammersmark, Reinhardsen and forward Denzel Clarke each put a shot on frame only to have Asheville's Jackson halt the scoring chances and send the contest into the halftime intermission in a 0-0 scoreless tie.
Each team looked to score the first goal early in the second half, as Sargent blasted a shot that sailed wide in the 50th minute, which was immediately followed by another shot by Asheville's Lingerfelt that was saved once more by Krotee in the 52nd minute.
The Runnin' Bulldogs' Chijioke Akujuobi looked to give the lead to the visitors in the 54th minute of the contest, only to have the stingy Asheville defense block the shot attempt to again cease another GWU scoring opportunity.
After an offside call on both teams and a handful of both fouls and substitutions, the Asheville Bulldogs' Lingerfelt looked to put the home team up off a Trey Hemphill corner kick in the 69th minute. However, Lingerfelt's shot was blocked by a GWU defender and sent out of play to give the home team another corner kick.
On the ensuing corner kick, the Bulldogs would commit a foul to give the Runnin' Bulldogs possession of the ball. On the counter attack, GWU's Hammersmark registered another shot attempt in the 72nd minute, only to see it fly offline.
In the 78th, Gardner-Webb's Swaby would have his shot attempt blocked by a defender and sent out of bounds across the end line to give the Runnin' Bulldogs yet another corner kick.
GWU's Hammersmark took the corner kick and played it into the box, where a leaping Reinhardsen put his head on the ball and sent it flying into the back of the goal to put the visiting Runnin' Bulldogs up 1-0 in the 79th minute.
The goal was Reinhardsen's second of the season, as well as his second in the last two matches, while the assist was Hammersmark's third on the year.
Over the final 10 minutes of play, Asheville tried to score the equalizer, as Rob May's shot soared wide of the goal in the 86th minute and Hemphill's last minute effort did the same in the 89th minute to give the Runnin' Bulldogs the 1-0 match win.
For the match, GWU outshot the Asheville Bulldogs 16-9 and held a slight advantage in corner kicks 6-5.
Krotee earned his third win of the season, as he recorded three saves on the afternoon, while Asheville's Jackson suffered the loss despite totaling six saves overall.
Gardner-Webb will remain on the road for its next contest, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will take on the No. 23 High Point Panthers at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night, while Asheville will turn around and host Radford at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
###
| Box Score: GWU 1, UNC Asheville 0 |
