Box Score LYNCHBURG, VA – The defensive units for both teams came to play Wednesday evening at WildCat Stadium, as the Randolph College men's soccer team played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer with Lynchburg College in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) action.
The game though was not without its thrilling moments, with near misses off crossbars and posts being scattered in between great defending. The first good chance came on the contest's opening shot, as junior Nick Cornell (Front Royal, VA/Warren Co.) took a free kick near post under the wall but was thwarted by a nice save from LC keeper Michael Releford.
LC came right back in the 19th minute, as first-year Tajee Hartley had a solid attempt saved by sophomore Randolph keeper CJ Stevens (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis). In the 36th minute, first-year Joe Uzdavinis (Carrollton, VA/Smithfield) used his great speed to break away from the Hornet backline but his attempt rolled just wide left.
Later in the half, junior Will Wolf (Goldsboro, NC/Cardinal Gibbons) put his head on a corner kick from Julian Khalili (Falmouth, VA/Stafford) but it just skimmed over the bar. After the halftime break, LC had two nice chances from Luke Moore, but Stevens was there to keep the game knotted at zero. Junior Jacob Lusczek (Fredericksburg, VA/Chancellor) had a good chance with a shot at the top of the 18, but his attempt was knocked down and smothered by Releford.
Lynchburg would pressure through the middle of the second half, as a shot from David Steele was saved and another by Steele glanced off the outside of the right post and out. Randolph appeared to have won the game in the waning minutes of the contest, as Cornell headed in a cross but was whistled for being offside.
In overtime, Lynchburg had a flurry of chances, stringing together four shots but was unable to break down the Randolph backline. The best shot of the sequence came from Josh Hinkle, whose header was denied by Stevens. Tom Titus, Hinkle and Tim Clancy all had attempts as well, but Randolph was able to clear.
With just under a minute to play in the first extra session, Corey Sindle (Gloucester, VA/Gloucester) got free and ripped a shot but Releford made a leaping save. In double overtime, junior John Vecchietti (Annandale, VA/W.T. Woodson) ripped a shot from 25 yards away that appeared to have beaten Releford but it went for naught as the shot banged off the inside of the right post and out.
The game was physical the entire night, as the two teams combined for 37 foul calls. LC outshot the WildCats 12-11, and earned 10 corner kicks to the five of the WildCats. Stevens finished with six saves and Releford had five stops, both chalking up clean sheets. The 0-0 tie for Randolph was only its third since the program started in 2007, with the last coming in the 2009 season against Virginia Wesleyan College.
The WildCats will look to continue to chalk up points in the ODAC as conference-leading Eastern Mennonite University comes to town for Family Weekend Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.
--RANDOLPH--
