LEXINGTON, Va.- The Randolph men's soccer team faced their toughest challenge to date as the WildCats took on #1 ranked Washington and Lee in the ODAC Semifinals on Wednesday night at Alison Parker Watt Field. The game went to overtime where with 26 seconds left, the WildCats were granted a penalty kick which Evan Blow (Charlottesville, Va./Charlottesville) converted to send the 'Cats into the ODAC Championship game.
The win over the Generals marks a couple of firsts for Randolph. It is the team' first win over the W&L since 2013 and the first ever win for the WildCats on Washington and Lee's field. The loss also knocks the Generals from the ranks of the unbeaten.
The WildCats advance to their first ODAC Championship game since 2015 and their fourth overall. They will take on Lynchburg who defeated Virginia Wesleyan in the night's other semifinal 3-0.
The evening started out well for Randolph. Blow headed a ball down towards Noah Carney (Charleston, W.V/Homeschool) who got past a General defender and beat the keeper one on one for the goal in the 26th minute to give the WildCats a 1-0 lead.
The lead was short-lived as W&L was able to knot game up at 1-1 on a goal by Samuel Bass in the 32nd minute. The score would remain tied at halftime.
In the second half, the WildCats retook the lead less than four minutes into the period. Off a free kick, Tory Brown (Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) sent a deflection off a Generals defender towards the goal were the shot was deflected by W&L keeper Rye McMillan. Tucker Leverone (Suffolk, Va./Nansemond River) was there to tuck the rebound into the back of the net as Randolph went up 2-1.
The Randolph defense kept Washington and Lee off balance as it looked to preserve its one-goal lead. Two corner kicks near the WildCat goal would be defended to keep Randolph's advantage. The Generals, who came into the contest with the league's highest scoring offense, would not be denied as Tyler Smith scored in 77th minute to tie it up at 2-2.
In the overtime period, Randolph looked to have the upper hand as it held the Generals without a shot. Blow got a couple of shots off that were off the mark or saved by McMillen. With time winding down and the game seemingly headed to another extra period, the Generals were called for a foul inside of the box that gave the WildCats the penalty kick. Blow went up and calmly nailed the shot to set off a wild celebration.
The WildCats won despite being outshot by the Generals 17-9. Shots on goal were slightly in W&L's favor 6-5. Corner kicks also favored Washington and Lee 9-3.
Zach Aylor (Vinton, Va./William Byrd) got the win in goal as he stopped four shots on the night for the 'Cats. McMillen finished with two saves.
Blow's goal gives him 18 on the season. That sets a new Randolph season mark for goals scored breaking the record previously held by Corey Sindle in 2013. Combined with his assist on Carney's goal, Blow's 44 points breaks the WildCat season record of 41 that was also held by Sindle.
The WildCats now prepare for a showdown with cross-city Lynchburg on Saturday for the conference title. Randolph will look to avenge a 2-1 loss to the Hornets on October 20 at WildCat Stadium that snapped the WildCats' unbeaten streak. Game time from Shellenberger Field will be at 2:00 p.m.
