Box Score For immediate release – 9/30/2015 - #056
The WildCats Battle Maroons to Draw in an Overtime Bout
SALEM, VA – The Randolph men's soccer team hit the road to take on Roanoke College in its first of five-straight away games. Both teams were coming into this Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) game with two-game win streaks, and the Maroons were trailing the 'Cats by just one point in the ODAC standings.
The game opened up well for the 'Cats as they managed to garner a corner kick in the first two minutes of the game. After this point, possession of ball in the first half favored the Maroons, as they were the aggressors offensively letting off more shots than the WildCats. Nonetheless, the 'Cats defense did very well to keep the ball out of the back of the net. This was exemplified well in the 33rd minute when Roanoke midfielder Tyler Carbaugh took a shot on goal that went past keeper CJ Stevens and looked like it was on its way to the back of the net, when Randolph defender Blake Heatherly came in and cleared the ball from the goal line.
The second half opened up with a more physical style of play by both teams and it looked to favor the 'Cats. Randolph's best opportunity came in the 68th minute as Sam Griffith got a shot off on goal in the middle of box that went past the Roanoke keeper and ricocheted off the left post. Julian Khalili tried to clean it up, but Roanoke goalkeeper Cole Sinclair knocked the ball out of bounds. Griffith and El Hadji Beye had great shots on goal back to back in the 77TH minute, but Sinclair made some acrobatic saves to deny the 'Cats a goal.
The rest of regulation was controlled by the 'Cats as they let off eight shots compared to two by the Maroons, while also garnering four corner kicks and holding the Roanoke to zero corner kicks.
In the two overtime periods, the game was played evenly by both squads. Stevens was especially exceptional during this time making three of his six total saves in the overtime periods including a game-saving stop in the final seconds of the game when midfielder Marshall Hodge played a through ball to Robby Lentine, who broke away and only had Stevens to beat. Stevens handled the play well using his leg to make the save and saving the 'Cats from a heartbreaking defeat.
Sinclair finished the game with six saves for the Maroons (6-3-1 overall, 2-0-1 ODAC). Over the last 65 minutes of the game, the 'Cats outshot Roanoke 11-8, and had six corners compared to two for the other side.
Randolph (4-3-2, 2-0-2) is scheduled to play fellow ODAC rival Randolph-Macon College on Saturday at 3 p.m. The threat of adverse weather may change that schedule, but stay tuned for updates.
