Men's Soccer Fall 4-2 to #4 Mountaineers

Friday, October 11

Statesboro

7 PM

Georgia Southern University

5-2-3, 1-1-1

West Virginia

8-0-3, 3-0-1

West Virginia

Ga. Southern

Georgia Southern forward Harvey Sarajian (10) during the NCAA men’s soccer match between Georgia Southern and North Florida at Bo Pitts Field on September 9, 2024 in Statesboro, Georgia. (Photograph by AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern Athletics)

Photo by: AJ Henderson / Georgia Southern

10/11/2024 9:42:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Statesboro, Ga. --- The Georgia Southern men's soccer team lost 4-2 to a top-five team in West Virginia (8-0-3, 3-0-1 SBC) for their first conference game at home.

Right out of the gates, the Mountaineers proved that they came focused and ready to play as they scored twice in the opening ten minutes of play. Marcus Caldeira scored in just the fifth minute with the conference's top scorer in Sergio Ors Navarro placing one in the back of the net just four minutes later to give him goal number eleven on the season.

The two team finally settled down until the 26th minute when Ricky Louis found space on a breakaway and played the ball out wide to Harvey Sarajian. Sarajian then quickly sent a pass to the middle edge of the box where Ryan Holmes struck gold off the one-touch to cut the lead in half for the Eagles. For Holmes, it's his ninth on the season and second best in the Sun Belt.

At the half break, the two squads were fairly even in all categories, but Georgia Southern held just a 6-5 edge in shots in the opening 45. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Mountaineers were once again hot out of the locker room as just 45 seconds into the final frame, Caldeira struck again for his second goal on the night. While West Virginia upped the pressure throughout the second half, Sarajian and the Eagles would not go down quietly as the freshman made a run past a few defenders all the way into the box where he poked a strike from just inside the box into the opposite corner. For Sarajian, it was his third goal on the season and once again cut the lead down to one.

However, West Virginia would attack again just five minutes later and after a shot deflected right into the lap of Isaac Scheer, it was an easy tap in past an Eagle keeper who already made a save prior. Scheer's first goal on the season was the last of the match as Georgia Southern drops a conference game for the first time this season.

Ultimately, the Mountaineers led 14-11 in shots, but each team had six on target.The Eagles offense caused four WV saves, with Nate Martinez making two. The teams were even on corner kicks at three and the Mountaineers only had one more foul.

The Eagles (5-2-3, 1-1-1 SBC) still have an opportunity to take down one of the best squads in the country as #8 James Madison come to town to complete their previous match that was rescheduled. Kickoff is set for 7 PM this Tuesday, October 15th, at Bo Pitts Field.