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ASHEVILLE, NC— Despite dominating the game offensively with a 29-7 advantage in shots, the 22-ranked Winthrop men's soccer team needed a late goal to earn a 1-1 draw at UNC Asheville, Saturday afternoon in Big South Conference action.
While the Eagles winning streak ends at six games, they are unbeaten in their last seven games as they are now 9-2-1 overall and 3-0-1 in the Big South. UNC Asheville is now 1-6-3 overall and 0-3-2 in the league.
Junior
Patrick Barnes saved the Eagles in the 79
th minute as he received a ball in the box, turned straight on from goal and fired a low shot past Asheville goalkeeper Dan Jackson. The ball was played wide by senior
Pol Sole to junior
Jordan Stoddart, who delivered a ball in front right to Barnes' feet.
"It was a disappointing result today," said Winthrop head coach
Rich Posipanko. "With 29 shots and creating numerous chances you think we could knock another one in. We were very unlucky today. A lot had to do with Asheville's play. All the credit to them for their hard work. This has always been a difficult place to play so we feel fortunate to come away with a point. Conference road games are never easy, no matter who you play."
The Eagles fell behind in the 24
th minute when Alex Eden crashed the net at the right time. Jackson Allen took a shot by
Guilherme Avelar that was headed into goal but sophomore
Pietro Bottari slid and stopped the ball from going out. Bottari and Emil Gonsalvez each kicked at the ball as it popped out to Eden running on and he struck the ball first time into the empty net.
In the 37
th minute, freshman
Charles Coulson nearly tied the game as he hit the crossbar with a shot that bounced right out to Barnes, who then took a touch and ripped a left-footed shot from inside the box that just screamed wide of the post. In double-overtime the Eagles came close to a game-winning goal as Sole let a shot fly to the lower right corner from inside the box, but Jackson sprawled out to tip it wide.
Jackson finished with nine saves, which included three in double-overtime. Avelar finished the game with two saves for the Eagles as he is now 4-1-1 on the year.
The Eagles will look to rebound on Wednesday, Oct. 22 as they head back to Eagle Field to take on Gardner-Webb at 6 p.m.
