Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC—Winthrop men's soccer scored four second half goals to open up the 2012 season with a 4-1 victory over Brevard College, Friday evening at Eagle Field.

The victory puts the Eagles at 1-0 on the season and gave them their sixth straight victory in a home opener.

“I wasn't very pleased with our performance tonight,” said head coach Rich Posipanko. “I felt we were not very sharp and need to clean things up. In terms of decision making, work rate, and intensity. Considering the way we played and were progressing over the two preseason games tonight was disappointing.”

Posipanko mentioned it wasn't the lack of finishing the good chances as it was the sloppiness and carelessness of play.

After a scoreless first half, Winthrop didn't take long getting on the scoreboard out of the break as freshman Patrick Barnes scored his first collegiate goal on a nice through ball from senior Tomas Brennan. Barnes collected the pass, took a touch and then slotted it into the back of the net in the 47^th minute. Winthrop struck again soon after as this time Brennan was on the other end of the goal as he headed home a service from senior Daniel Di Biagio at the near post. Di Biagio worked hard to get open for a service and bent the ball near post as Brennan made the near post run and redirected the ball into the far side of the net.

The momentum of the game shifted heavily into the Eagles favor with the second goal, but a miscue in the defense allowed the Tornados to get back in the game. The defense misplayed the ball out of the back and Landon Reid found himself with the ball and one-on-one with senior Enrique Miranda as he slipped the ball into the corner of the goal just two minutes after Winthrop went ahead 2-0.

Winthrop took a 3-1 lead in the 64^th minute as senior Alex Isern delivered a free kick from around 45 yards to the right of the Brevard keeper and the service curled toward the frame as freshman Jordi Lluch was moving in as if to win the header when he let the ball bounce. That froze the Brevard goalie and the ball bounced into the right corner of the goal. The Eagles added another in the 82^nd minute when senior Marc Segarra scored his second collegiate goal. Isern beat a Brevard defender wide and as he approached the goal he pushed the ball in front of the net for Segarra to pass it in from about eight yards out.

Junior Tom Banfield earned the win in the net for the Eagles as he made two saves.

Winthrop finished with a 27-10 edge is shots and 12-1 on corners.