Eagles Take Comprehensive 3-0 Win Over Blue Hose
9/14/2011 11:53:00 PM | Men's Soccer
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Men's Soccer opened the 2011 home schedule with a 3-0 victory over Presbyterian College at the friendly confines of Eagle Field on Wednesday afternoon, September 14th. The Eagles exacted revenge on the Blue Hose for a 1-0 win last year in Clinton, S.C. Luigi Clendening scored twice on the afternoon to move into a tie for third place nationally for total goals.
"It was the tale of two halves today," said Head Coach Kevin Kennedy. "In the first half we played a little selfish, but in the second half we got our combination play working around the box and it payed off with a win for us."
Following a quiet first half in terms of goals, Luigi Clendening (Augusta, Ga.) scored the match's first goal in the 50th minute as Alex Evert (Marietta, Ga.) played a loose ball wide to Clendening in the penalty area. The forward slotted the ball past the keeper into the net for a 1-0 Eagle lead.
Clendening struck again just three minutes later for his sixth goal of the season on a breakaway pass from Ethan LaPan (Martinez, Ga.). A through ball to Clendening in the channel took the senior free one-on-one with the keeper outside of the six-yard box. The Blue Hose keeper dove to dispossess Clendening as he played the ball around the outstretched hands into an open position. Clendening delivered a close angle shot for the second goal of the day and sixth of the year.
In the 70th minute, Georgia Southern took advantage of a free kick in an attacking position for its third goal of the match. Sophomore Drew Ruggles (Mannassas, Va.) bent the free kick into the box and into the net through traffic for the Eagles' third goal of the match. The tally was Ruggles' second of the season and second in as many matches.
Senior goalkeeper Ryan Platt (Preston, England) recorded his second clean sheet of the season while making two saves off nine total Presbyterian College shots.
Georgia Southern travels this weekend for a Sunday matinee against Mercer on September 18th. The match in Macon, Ga. starts at 5 p.m.
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