Box Score For Immediate Release – 10/29/16 - #106
WildCats Tie R-MC on Senior Day to Seal the Tourney Run
LYNCHBURG, VA – On an emotionally charged day, the Randolph College men's soccer team continued its impressive streak of never missing the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament after tying Randolph-Macon College on Saturday, 1-1. The result sealed the eight seed for the WildCats, who have now made the tourney nine years in a row.
Prior to the start of the game, the team honored the seven seniors. Following the ceremony, Brian Anderson, Austin Davidson, Blake Heatherly, Troy Jurney, Anthony Quinn, Kyle Unruh, and Joe Uzdavinis all heard their names announced in the starting lineup. It would not be long before making an impact.
Erick Cortez-Martinez made a nice early save to start things off. After an early foul near midfield, a free kick was sent into the box and deflected but Cortez-Martinez was there. He would not be tested much the rest of the half, but the same cannot be said for the R-MC goalie, Brian Breslin.
In the third minute, the WildCats were going up the field and sent a deep ball to the middle. Unruh got his head on it and flicked it to Uzdavinis on the wing. Breslin came out to grab it, but Uzdavinis got there first and flicked it over Breslin, and it carried into the goal for the lead.
Not long after, Cristian Irigoyen almost doubled the lead, as he headed a ball towards the net. However, it was cleared off the line by a defender. The 'Cats continued to push and almost added to the advantage again. Jurney sent a ball near the goal and caught the crossbar. The rebound came back to Anderson, but his shot was blocked. Then in the 34th minute, Jonathon Powell ripped one as well, but it was saved by Breslin.
R-MC finally got their best attempts in the half in the 36th minute. Two shots were blocked, and then Andrew Gyimesi's shot sailed high of the crossbar. However, Davidson almost scored several minutes later, but his header went off Breslin's hand and then the post, sealing the 1-0 score at the half.
Randolph almost scored to open the second half, as Troy Jurney nearly headed in a ball, but it was cleared off the line once again by a defender.
At this point, the Yellow Jackets began to push more, as Cortez-Martinez was called on to stop two shots. Randolph-Macon continued attacking, while thwarting chances from the WildCats. Then, with less than seven minutes on the clock, Liam Hogan sent a shot in from the top of the box to tie the score, sending the game into overtime.
Both teams pressed for a goal in the extra period, but neither could get a good look on goal. Heatherly had a rip from deep, but it went high, leaving the game as a draw.
It was a very even game in terms of statistics, with the only advantage being in corner kicks. The WildCats had six, while the Yellow Jackets (9-4-3 overall, 5-3-1 ODAC) only had two (both in overtime).
Randolph (7-5-5, 2-3-4) will continue its season this Monday. The WildCats will host Guilford College (7-8-3, 2-4-3) in a rematch of last Wednesday's game. This will be the first year of the 8v9 play-in game in ODAC men's soccer. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
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