A Trio of Runnin' Bulldogs Score in 3-0 Win over PC on Halloween Night
November 01, 2012 | Men's Soccer
Boiling Springs, N.C. - A trio of Gardner-Webb players in Matt Bogart, Denzel Clarke and Chijioke Akujuobi all scored their first goal of the season on Wednesday night, as the Runnin' Bulldogs defeated Presbyterian College 3-0 in a key Big South Conference match up on Halloween Night in Boiling Springs, N.C.
With the win, GWU improves to 4-12-2 overall and 3-4-2 in conference play, while PC falls to 3-15-0 overall and 2-7-0 in the Big South.
GWU posted a season-high 30 shots overall for the match and scored two goals in the first half of play for the first time all season.
Bogart put Gardner-Webb up in the 31st minute, as the sophomore defender received a drop pass from fellow teammate Taylor Jordan. From the left side of the box, Bogart blasted a shot that bent toward the top 90 on the far front post and put it past the diving PC keeper to put the home team up 1-0.
Presbyterian's Tyler Beadle was tested all night in goal for the Blue Hose, as after PC tallied the first shot of the match in the seventh minute by Ignacio Monchetti, which was hauled in by GWU goalkeeper Scott Krotee, the Runnin' Bulldogs fired off eight shots to the Blue Hose zero over the next 25 minutes prior to Bogart's goal.
PC's Beadle had stopped four of those eight shots by the Runnin' Bulldogs, while two others were blocked by the Blue Hose defense, however, the home team put one on the scoreboard in the 31st minute.
The Blue Hose looked to retie the match up minutes later, as Monchetti had a shot blocked in the 32nd minute, followed by Byron Quinatoa's header that was captured by Krotee in the 33rd minute.
Gardner-Webb's Clarke registered two shots over the next three minutes, yet failed to find the back of the net, leaving the score at 1-0 in favor of the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Presbyterian's best scoring chance in the first half and perhaps in the entire match came in the 37th minute, as Pachinno Roberts put a header on target that hit off the front right post. At the last minute, Krotee dove and punched the ball away from the goal. However, the deflected ball went straight to Quinatoa at the top of the 18-yard box who fired a shot back toward the goal that was corralled by Krotee once more to preserve the 1-0 lead.
On the ensuing possession, GWU's Jalen Gathers played the ball wide to Clarke on the right side of the box. Clarke dribbled to the middle and lined up a shot with his left foot toward the goal as it sailed into the back of the goal from 25-yards out to put Gardner-Webb on top at 2-0 in the 39th minute.
The Blue Hose would take advantage of two misplayed balls by the GWU defensive backline to register two more shots in the 45th minute, one by Jonny Mercado and another by Jamel Manning, only to see both chances halted between the posts by Krotee to keep the match at 2-0 heading into the halftime break.
Each team's intensity increased in the second half, as the two teams' each posted two shots apiece over the first seven minutes out of the break.
GWU's John Sargent would have a shot blocked in the 58th minute, while PC's Matt Manter saw his lone shot attempt of the contest blocked as well in the 60th minute, as neither team could shake loose the other's defense.
In the 64th minute, the Runnin' Bulldogs looked to add an insurance goal, as junior Marius Hammersmark had a shot blocked and the rebounded ball was sent high over the goal off the foot of Sargent as the home team continued to put pressure on the PC defense.
A minute later Clarke recorded another shot, this time wide of the goal, while Gathers tallied a shot which was blocked and earned the Runnin' Bulldogs a corner kick.
Gardner-Webb co-captain Jon Ole Reinhardsen would account for the next two shots in the match, a header that was stopped by Beadle in the 67th minute and a volley in front of the left front post hauled in by Beadle in the 69th minute.
After three more shots were all offline over the next several minutes of play by the Runnin' Bulldogs, GWU's Akujuobi used his speed in the 82nd minute to out run two PC defenders down the left side of the field and create some room for him to angle a shot past a diving Beadle in the right side of the goal to put the home team up 3-0.
Over the final eight minutes of the contest, GWU would outshoot the Blue Hose 2-1, as Riley Shelton's header hit the post and Sargent's follow up attempt was knocked away by new goalkeeper Tanner Osborne as time ticked away in the regulation.
The Blue Hose looked to spoil the Runnin' Bulldogs shutout attempt late in the match, as Matthew Palma put a header on frame in the 88th minute, however, the ball landed in the arms of Krotee for his seventh save on the night.
Krotee earned the win and with his seven saves he increased his saves total to 103 on the season.
GWU outshot PC 30-12 for the match and also held an advantage in shots on goal (12-7), corner kicks (7-3) and fouls (11-6).
Both Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian will wrap up its regular season slate on Saturday afternoon, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will host Campbell at 4 p.m., while Presbyterian will take on VMI at 1 p.m. in Lexington, Va.
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| Box Score: GWU 3, Presbyterian 0 |
