TOWSON, Md. ? Senior Sebastian Haensel (Leipzig, Germany) and freshman Kevin Ruck (Eastide H.S./Greer, S.C.) each scored in the final 11 minutes as the 20th-ranked Tigers (13-1-2, 9-0-1) extended their winning streak to nine games in a row with a 2-1 Colonial Athletic Association victory over Virginia Commonwealth University (4-13-0, 2-8-0) in the Tigers’ final regular season home game at their Towson Center Field on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, the CAA-leading Tigers extended their unbeaten streak to 11 matches in a row.
One of five seniors playing in his final regular season home game, Haensel gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with 10:27 remaining when he scored his sixth goal of the season. Haensel received a long pass from freshman Tommy Appel-Schumacher (American Ramstein H.S./Ramstein, Germany) about 20 yards from the goal. After using a spin move to get past a VCU defender, he fired an 18-yard shot into the far right corner of the net for the first goal of the game.
Less than four minutes later, Ruck took a pass from senior Sean Cunningham (Urbana H.S./Ijamsville, Md.) and hit a 15-yard shot for his third goal of the season, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead with 6:43 remaining in regulation.
Just 22 seconds later, the Rams responded and cut the deficit to 2-1 on a breakaway goal.
Junior Matthijs Maruanaya (Alkmaar, Netherlands) gathered a lead pass from senior Thomas Weingartner (Munich, Germany) and scored his fifth goal of the season on a hard 20-yard shot.
However, the Tiger defense, which has allowed only nine goals in 16 games this season, stiffened in the final minutes to preserve the win.
Senior goalkeeper Greg Flaherty (Henderson H.S./West Chester, Pa.) made seven saves for the Tigers as he won for the eighth time in nine decisions this season.
In addition to Haensel, Cunningham, and Flaherty, senior co-captains Nigel Marples (North Delta H.S./Delta, B.C., Canada) and Andrew Marshall (Centennial H.S./Columbia, Md.) also made their final home appearance for the Tigers. Marples and Marshall have been vital to the Tigers’ stingy defense which has a 0.54 Goals Against Average, sixth in NCAA Division I.
Sophomore goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra (Osbourn Park H.S./Woodbridge, Va.) made five saves for the Rams, who lost their seventh game in a row.
The Tigers outshot VCU by a 15-14 margin.
The Tigers, who have clinched a berth in the CAA Tournament as well as a first round bye in the tournament, close out the regular season on Friday, October 27 at George Mason University.
James Madison 1, George Mason 0
FAIRFAX, Va. -- The James Madison Dukes topped the 30th-ranked (College Soccer News) George Mason Patriots 1-0 in Colonial Athletic Association men's soccer Sunday afternoon.
JMU ended a three-game losing streak and won for the first time in its last seven games. The Dukes, who last won at Drexel on Sept. 29, have a 1-4-2 record over their last seven matches.
The only goal of the contest came in the 10th minute when senior Mark Totten (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West) scored an unassisted goal after shooting the ball into the right corner from three yards out.
JMU red-shirt senior goalkeeper Kevin Trapp (Charlotte, N.C./Myers Park) posted two saves for his fifth shutout of the season and 25th career shutout.
George Mason freshman goalkeeper Sean Kelly (Lexington, Ky./Paul Laurence Dunbar) had six saves for the match.
JMU held a 14-5 advantage on shots and edged the Patriots 6-4 in corner kicks.
The Dukes improved their overall record to 9-5-2 and 4-4-2 in the CAA. The Patriots are now 11-4-1 overall and 7-2-1 in the CAA.
JMU will travel to Virginia Commonwealth on Friday, Oct. 27 for a 7 p.m. contest to round off regular-season CAA competition
WILLIAM & MARY 2, UNC WILMINGTON 0
WILMINGTON, N.C. ? William & Mary struck for two second half goals as the Tribe picked up a key 2-0 win over UNC Wilmington Sunday in Colonial Athletic Association men’s soccer action at the UNCW Soccer Stadium.
The Tribe improved to 8-7-3 overall and is tied with the Seahawks for sixth-place with 15 points as both teams battle for a spot in next month’s conference tournament. The Seahawks saw their season-high five game winning streak snapped with the setback and slip to 10-6-1 and 5-5 in the circuit.
UNCW threatened early in the second half, but junior goalkeeper Brennan Wergley made consecutive saves on shots by freshman midfielder Pedro Pereira and freshman defender Cameron Turney. Pereira launched a shot from outside the penalty area and Wergly dove to his left to make the initial stop and Turney fired the rebound into Wergley’s chest for the second save.
Junior midfielder Ryan Sells opened the scoring with his first goal of the season as the Tribe took the lead at 57:31. Sophomore forward Andrew Hoxie started the play with a short cross from the leftside where sophomore midfielder Brock Jones redirected it on goal but senior goalkeeper Brad Knighton made one of his seven saves on the afternoon. Sells was able to collect the rebound in front of the goal and slip it past a diving defender into an open goal
W&M built a 2-0 advantage in the 87th minute as Hoxie picked up a poor clear attempt and beat four Seahawk defenders before shipping a shot over a sliding Knighton from 15 yards out.
Wergley finished with six saves in recording his second shutout of the season.
W&M closes out its season on Oct. 26 at rival Old Dominion while the Seahawks host Georgia State on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.
NORTHEASTERN 2, DREXEL 1
The men’s soccer team (7-9-2, 5-4-1 CAA) continued its climb up the Colonial Athletic Conference standings on Sunday afternoon, as the Huskies defeated Drexel (6-10-0, 2-8-0 CAA), 2-1, at Vidas Field. Freshmen Matthew Laning and Alexander Volk scored for Northeastern in the 23rd and 53rd minutes, respectively. With the victory, NU improved to 5-1-1 in October.
Laning got the Huskies on the board early Sunday afternoon. Alexander Volk’s shot was deflected right to Laning, who beat keeper Cory Robertson at 22:42.
Laning returned the favor at 52:11 of the second frame. Robertson stopped his shot but Volk pounced on the rebound to give NU a 2-0 lead.
The Dragons cut NU’s lead in half four minutes later, as Dominick Balsamo crossed the ball to Brandon Fischer, who beat freshman keeper Mahmoud Talaat. It was the first goal allowed by Talaat in over three games.
Despite being outshot 14-4 in the second half, the Huskies managed to escape with a 2-1 victory as the Dragons could not come up with the equalizer. Talaat stopped five shots in the half.
Drexel outshot NU 18-9 and 9-6 in shots on goal. The Dragons also finished with a 6-4 advantage on corner kicks.
Talaat, the reigning CAA Rookie of the Week, made eight saves in the win. Robertson stopped four shots for Drexel.
The Huskies return to Parsons Field on Fri., Oct. 27, for their regular season finale against Hofstra. NU will look to solidify a spot in the CAA playoffs. The game will begin at 6 p.m.
Old Dominion 1, Georgia State 0
ATLANTA, GA--Senior Edson Elcock's (Brooklyn, NY) goal With about six minutes left in the first half lifted the Monarchs of Old Dominion (11-4-1/6-3-1) to a 1-0 Colonial Athletic Association victory Over Georgia State (1-15/1-9) Sunday afternoon.
Elcock's goal, his team leading eighth of the year and 21st point of the season came on a cross which went over the goalies head. ODU outshot the Panthers, 14-8 as freshman Sean Sigrist (Wauwatosa,WI.) picked up the shutout along with four saves. Georgia State's Paulo Gutierrez had nine saves for the Panthers.
ODU returns home for a Thursday night match against William and Mary at 8 p.m. The game will be televised live on Fox Soccer channel as the national Game of the week. It will also be senior night for ODU's seniors: Pambos Demetriades, Edson Elcock, Jared Kent, Ross Mackenzie, Gregg Mottinger and Zach Kinney.
Hofstra 2, Delaware 0
NEWARK, DE -- Corey Gudmundson and Lewis Irish each scored a goal within the first ten minutes of the game in leading the Hofstra University men’s soccer team to a 2-0 win over the University of Delaware on Sunday afternoon.
The Pride (10-4-2, 7-2-1 CAA) controlled play throughout the afternoon, outshooting the Hens 10-3 and holding a 7-0 edge in shots. Taylor Thames (right) made two saves for Delaware (5-8-2, 3-7 CAA) while playing the second half in relief.
Hofstra got on the board in the sixth minute when Gudmunson headed a rebound off a corner kick by Justin Flood past Delaware starter Jonathan Curry-Edwards. Four minutes later, Irish blasted a shot high into the net from 15 yards out to give the Pride a 2-0 advantage.
After claiming the lead, the Hofstra defense was outstanding in allowing only three Delaware shots on the day. Pride keeper Tom Johansen had to make only one save to record the shutout.
The Hens will return to action when they host Drexel in the regular season on Friday at 7 p.m.