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CONWAY, SC— Winthrop yielded two first half goals as it dropped its second straight game with a 2-0 loss at 24
th-ranked Coastal Carolina, Wednesday evening in Big South Conference men's soccer action.
"On the night they were the best team we've faced all year by far," said Winthrop head coach
Rich Posipanko. "We were able to make some adjustments at half time and I felt the game was fairly even but at that point the damage was already done. I think if anyone in our league is going to win the championship they'll have to go through Coastal."
Winthrop falls to 10-4-1 on the year and 4-2-1 in the league while Coastal Carolina remains unbeaten in the league at 6-0 and improves its overall record to 11-4.
It looked as the Eagles may head into the half trailing 1-0 as it applied pressure offensively in the final minute of the first half but a counter attack goal with 31 seconds left. A cross into the box by Winthrop was short and cleared out and Bryce Follensebee played a through ball to a wide open Ricky Garbanzo as he dribbled toward goal and around
Guilherme Avelar for the goal.
Both teams had good chances early on to net the first goal but it was Coastal Carolina in the 16
th minute as Ridge Robinson chased down a ball, turned and crossed it with good pace as Follensbee did a good job to redirect the cross into the open net from about eight yards away.
The Chanticleers finished with a 15-10 advantage in shots as the Eagles managed a 7-5 edge in the second half. Devin Cook-Perales made three saves while Avelar finished with four for Winthrop and
Fabian Broich, who came into the game to start the second half finished with one.
Winthrop had a couple of good scoring chances in the first 10 minutes of the game as
Cody Winter was free in the box after a cross from Hasenstab but his shot was blocked. Then in the seventh minute
Patrick Barnes let one fly from just outside the 18 as his low shot to the corner forced a diving save by Cook-Perales.
Winthrop will heads to Buies Creek, NC on Saturday, Nov. 1 as it hopes to end its two-game skid against Campbell at 7 p.m.
