LYNCHBURG, Va.- The Randolph men's soccer team hosted Roanoke in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference game on Thursday evening at a damp and cool WildCat Stadium. What looked to be a WildCat blowout turned out to be a thriller in the end as Randolph held on to defeat the Maroons 4-3.

The WildCats improve to 3-1 overall. RC drops to 1-1-3.

Early in the first half, Roanoke had a look at a goal. In the ninth minute, the Maroons' Dylan Berk fired a pair of shots but was denied both times by Randolph keeper Zach Miles (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville). The WildCats got on the board as a ball that deflected off Wes Boor (Lovingston, Va./Nelson County) fell right in front of Noah Carney (Charleston, W.V./Homeschool) who shot it into the back of the net to put the 'Cats up 1-0 in the 21^st minute.

In the 38^th minute, a foul by Roanoke's Philami Mlotshwa inside of the penalty area gave Randolph a chance to increase its lead. Evan Blow (Charlottesville, Va./Charlottesville) deposited the ball into the net with ease as the WildCats went up 2-0.

In the second half, Tucker Leverone (Suffolk, Va./Nansemond River) upped the WildCat lead to 3-0 in the 63^rd minute. Later in the 78^th minute, Blow was left one on one with a Maroon defender and he was able to get by and get the goal to make it a 4-0 game.

The WildCats seemed to have the game in hand but the Maroons had other plans. Three Roanoke goals would come in in just over six minutes of game time. Jake Berecz scored RC's first in the 83^rd minute and was followed by Chris Jerrild in the 84^th minute with the goals coming 1:12 apart. A yellow card on Miles gave Roanoke a free kick just a few feet from the goal line. Gabriel Hendi was able to sneak the ball in and suddenly it was a one-goal game with 1:20 to play.

With under a minute to play in regulation, Roanoke was granted a corner kick. Hendi had a chance to tie the game in the waning seconds but his shot glanced off the left post and out of play as time expired.

Both teams had 15 shots on the night. Randolph led 8-7 in shots on frame. The WildCats had seven corner kicks to three for the Maroons.

Miles finished with four saves for the WildCats. Roanoke goalkeeper Jacob Hurner also had four saves.

Blow's eight goals represent a new career high. He not only leads the WildCats but also leads the ODAC.

Randolph's win over Roanoke is the first against the Maroons since the ODAC Tournament in 2017. The four goals scored represent the most by a WildCat squad ever against RC.

The 'Cats head on the road Sunday to Winchester to take on Shenandoah. Game time will be at 2:00 p.m.