FARMVILLE, Va. --- The Longwood Lancers answered a 68th-minute equalizer by Gardner-Webb with two goals in a six-minute span to earn a 3-1 Big South Conference victory over the Runnin' Bulldogs in Gardner-Webb's regular season finale on Wednesday evening.
Longwood (4-12-1, 3-5 Big South) outshot Gardner-Webb (3-13-1, 1-7-1 Big South) by a 27-14 margin in the contest, including an 18-5 advantage in the second half after the teams each made nine attempts at goal in the opening 45 minutes. Gardner-Webb held an 8-7 advantage in corners on the night, as the teams combined for 23 fouls in a physical match.
Patrick Gurser (Frankfurt, Germany) paced the Runnin' Bulldogs with his first goal of the season and second of his career, converting from the spot midway through the second half. Ali Al-Gashamy (Kristiansand, Norway) and Denzel Clarke (Atlanta, Ga.) each took a team-high four shots, putting three and two on frame, respectively. Matthew Swan (Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom) made 10 saves between the pipes.
Finnlay Wyatt led the way for Longwood with a second-half brace as Jonathan Majin scored the opener for the Lancers. Dan Campos added a pair of assists while Carlos Canas stopped seven shots.
The match remained scoreless through much of the first half, with both teams generating numerous scoring opportunities throughout the opening 40 minutes. Perhaps the best early chance for Gardner-Webb came midway through the 18th minute, when the ball fell to Clarke at the top of the six-yard box and his corresponding effort skidded just wide of the post.
The Runnin' Bulldogs would threaten for the breakthrough several times over the next 20 minutes, making repeated forays into the attacking third and sending a trio of chances inches shy from the woodwork courtesy of Clarke, Gurser and Nathan Rose (Bristol, England).
Longwood capitalized on a bit of fortune to break the deadlock seconds shy of the 44th minute, when Majin put a shot on frame that was initially stopped by Swan before deflecting off the keeper's heel and creeping over the line to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead heading into the interval.
The Lancers came out firing in the second half, pushing forward relentlessly over the first 20 minutes and forcing five saves from Swan in that span as the Gardner-Webb keeper stood tall to keep his team in the match.
Fortune would fall to the Runnin' Bulldogs early on in the 68th minute when Longwood was called for a handball just inside the 18 to give Gardner-Webb an equalizing chance from the spot. Gurser stepped to the dot and delivered a confidant penalty, slotting a clinical strike into the bottom corner to level the match at 1-1.
Clarke nearly gave the Runnin' Bulldogs a 2-1 advantage moments later, making a run in behind only to have his strike denied by Canos with a well positioned save.
Longwood quickly struck back on the counter pushing forward and reclaiming the lead midway through the 74th minute through Wyatt's first of the night. Campos started the play with a run in behind before finding Wyatt at the top of the area, who then unleashed a vicious slicing shot past the keeper and into the top corner to put the Lancers back on top, 2-1.
Wyatt would add a second in the 80th minute, pushing the lead to 3-1 with a deflected shot from the top of the box that found its way inside the far post.
Gardner-Webb is expected to return 18 letter-winners from this year's squad, including rising seniors Arjun Jung (London, England), Rose, Dustin Peyton (Greensboro, N.C.), Al-Gashamy, Craig Swaby (Ware, England), Bryce Wells (Marietta, Ga.) and Nathan Cook (Casar, N.C.).
