Eagles Go Top of SoCon with 3-2 Win Over Charleston
10/1/2011 11:32:00 PM | Men's Soccer
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Men's Soccer moved into first place in the Southern Conference with a 3-2 victory over College of Charleston on Saturday afternoon. The victory was Georgia Southern's first win over the Cougars since 1986, a span of 25 years and 16 matches. The Eagles are now 2-0 in league play, 6-3-1 overall, while Charleston falls to 5-3-1 overall and 1-1 in SoCon play.
"That was certinaly an emotional win, but in the big picture we move top of the conference which is a very good thing. We played well, but we were disappointed with the way we finished the match," said Head Coach Kevin Kennedy. "I was really happy with the way Joe Hughes and Ethan LaPan played today. Joe had a great individual effort to score our second goal, while Ethan played a great ball in to Luigi (Clendening) and had a great play which led to the penalty."
Luigi Clendening (Augusta, Ga.) posted the breakthrough goal for the Eagles in the 32nd minute with his eighth goal of the season. Ethan LaPan (Martinez, Ga.) delivered a cross towards goal to the far post where Clendening headed the ball over the keeper into the net. The goal gave GSU a 1-0 lead on the Eagles' first shot of goal in the match.
Joe Hughes (Mooresville, Ga.) doubled the Georgia Southern advantage with a minute and a half remaining in the first half. The sophomore scored his first goal of the season by finishing off a run through the Charleston midfield and taking a shot from 25 yards in the middle of the field.
The Eagles went up 3-0 in the 53rd minute with a penalty kick goal. LaPan earned the spot kick when he was hauled down in the area. Clendening took the penalty to score his second goal of the afternoon and ninth goal of the season.
The Cougars scored a pair of goals in the 69th and 76th minutes to cut the Georgia Southern advantage to 3-2. Troy Peterson scored the first goal off an assist by Shawn Ferguson while Joey De Mare scored off an assist by George Khoury.
Georgia Southern's Ryan Platt (Preston, England) made seven saves on the day as the Cougars out-shot Georgia Southern, 16-12. The Eagles took nine corner kicks with a total of four shots on goal in the match.
The Eagles travel for the first road match of league play against Furman on Tuesday, October 4th. Georgia Southern takes on Wofford this Friday, October 7th at 1 p.m. from Eagle Field.
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