Carlisle's Two Goals Lift Eagles Over USC Upstate 4-3
STATESBORO, Ga. - Witt Carlisle scored two goals, including the game winner in the 82nd minute to lift the Georgia Southern Men's Soccer Team to a 4-3 victory over USC Upstate in the Eagles' season opener Wednesday (September 1).
Carlisle, a sophomore from Alpharetta, Ga., tied the game in the 67th minute, beating Upstate goalkeeper Jason McCabe after a pass from Thomas Valikonis (Greenville, S.C.). Less than 15 minutes later, Carlisle stole the ball in the attacking third of the field and dribbled his way into the box. With McCabe closing in, the forward buried the left-footed shot in the right side of the net to give the Eagles the lead.
"We brought Witt (Carlisle) on to give us some fresh legs and he hit," Head Coach Kevin Kennedy said. "On both goals, he had great turns to find space for himself and he put it in the far corner."
Hakeem King put the Spartans on the board first, heading in a corner kick in the 25th minute. Ethan LaPan (Martinez, Ga.) evened the match for the Eagles in the 32nd minute, finishing a give and go with fellow freshman Hunter Norton (Evans, Ga.).
Rich Heyer (Tupelo, Miss.) gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead early in the second half, burying a ball Valikonis, who finished with a pair of assists. Timo Foerster assisted both John Kadane (47th minute) and John Collins (53rd minute) to give the Spartans a 3-2 lead before Carlisle came through for the Eagles.
"I was disappointed with the way we gave up the goals and the type of goals we gave up, but I was proud of the spirit to fight back and get back in the game and get the goals when we needed them," Kennedy said of his team's performance.
Georgia Southern out-shot Upstate 15-12, including an 11-6 mark in the second half. Ryan Platt (Preston, England) made five saves in the victory for the Eagles.
The Eagles next contest is Sept. 7 against Jacksonville. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in Jacksonville, Fla.
- Category: Men's Soccer
- Published on Wednesday, 01 September 2010 19:20
