Eagles Power Past Wofford, 4-2
10/7/2011 7:51:00 PM | Men's Soccer
STATESBORO, Ga. - Despite some late drama, Georgia Southern took a thrilling 4-2 win over Wofford on Friday afternoon at Eagle Field. The Eagles led 2-0 at half, but a pair of Terrier goals and a GSU red card put the result in doubt late. Georgia Southern responded with two goals in the final 10 minutes to earn the win and improve to 7-4-1 overall and 3-1-0 in the SoCon to solidify first place going into the weekend.
"I thought we showed a tremendous amount of resiliency to come back from being a man down late," said Head Coach Kevin Kennedy. "Luigi has been a terrific leader for us, he has a lot of fight in him and that really leads our team forward. I'm delighted to have nine points from four matches, but we really need to work on shoring up our defense in matches."
Georgia Southern struck first in the 12th minute with Luigi Clendening's (Augusta, Ga.) 10th goal of the season. The Eagle striker got on the end of a cross from Ethan LaPan (Martinez, Ga.). The duo combined for a goal for the third time this season.
The Eagles doubled the advantage just before the halftime break on a goal by Ado Jununzovic (Lawrenceville, Ga.) off a free kick by Drew Ruggles (Manassas, Va.). The free kick into the box got a back-heel assist by Trent Doty (Statesboro, Ga.).
Just after the halftime break, Wofford's (3-7-1, 0-3-0 SoCon) Alex Hutchins scored a loose ball in the box. He was assisted on the play by Chase West and Forrest Lasso, who knocked the ball around in the area with 42 minutes remaining in the match.
The Eagles were reduced to 10-men in the 63rd minute when Nick Lane (Suwanee, Ga.) picked up a red card.
Wofford leveled the match at 2-2 in the 77th minute with a goal by Dennis Moore. The Terrier striker got on the end of a loose rebound of a shot by Bryant Eddy.
An incredible run down the right flank of the Terriers by LaPan in the 81st minute allowed the sophomore to score his second goal for the season. The goal would prove to be the game-winning goal.
Clendening put the icing on the cake in the match's final minute with his 11th goal of the season by dispossessing the Wofford goalkeeper and coolly scoring in the empty net. His 11th goal of the season puts him in second place national for total goals this season and leaves him four shy of the single-season school record for goals in a season.
Goalkeeper Ryan Platt (Preston, England) was stellar again in goal for the Eagles, posting nine saves for his sixth with of the season between the pipes.
Georgia Southern travels for a match against ACC power, NC State, on Tuesday, October 11th, at 7 p.m. Last season, Georgia Southern nearly sprang the upset before falling, 3-2 at Dail Stadium. The Eagles have one victory over the Wolfpack, a 2-1 triumph in 2002.
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