Box Score
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - In a come from behind effort the No. 5 ranked University of Charleston men's soccer team secured the West Virginia Conference regular season title with a 3-2 double overtime win over rival WV Wesleyan, Saturday night.
Using the typical game plan of coming out of the gate firing it didn't take long for the Golden Eagles to create the first scoring opportunity of the evening. Precision passing from
Brett Elliott (Newcastle, England) to
Renan Ramos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) opened up a run down the right side to the endline. Once he drew the defense in Ramos found
Nathan Schmitt (Muskegon, MI) in front of the goal with a perfectly placed cross, which was put in the net with a header to the upper right corner for a 1-0 advantage.
The two defenses did a good job throughout the remainder of the first half with the teams even at five shots apiece. WVWC got the equalizer just five seconds before the conclusion to the half as a one-timer from the top of the 18 yard box managed to get just enough elevation to elude Charleston keeper
Sean Teepen (Cincinnati, OH ).
West Virginia Wesleyan, the No. 5 ranked team in the Atlantic Region, took the lead as a defensive breakdown allowed the Bobcats to have a two-on-one run in straight at the goal resulting in the score at 60:23.
As time continued to click off the clock Charleston felt the pressure of needing to get on the scoreboard by pushing the ball faster than usual. The quicker pace took UC out of their style of play for a short period before head coach Chris Grassie gave instructions from the sideline that good touches would get them where they needed to be and almost instantly the chances arrived again after
Alexander Martinez-Gallardo (Vancouver, Canada) entered the game.
Martinez-Gallardo took residence in front of the Bobcat goal requiring the visitors to shift their defensive alignment. In the 72nd minute an inside feed created an opportunity for UC, which was blasted out of the box by the defense to give
Rob Vincent (Liverpool, England ) a corner kick. Vincent delivered his usual perfect bending cross to the front post that was placed into the back of the net by
Dan Walmsley (Manchester, England ).
The game nearly ended just minutes before regulation when Vincent blasted a 25 yard rocket that was narrowly saved by WVWC to force extra time. Both teams managed two shots in the first overtime, yet neither team was able to end the contest as they headed for the final 10 minutes of play.
After a short break the teams hit the field for the final overtime period with a raucious Schoenbaum Stadium crowd on their feet. Charleston responded with a quick strike to keep the Championship trophy on the University of Charleston campus. Unsuspecting recent star
Adam Hintz (Sharon, Canada ) sprinted off the line down the left side immediately off the first touch. Vincent took control of the opening pass then send a pass 3/4 the length of the field that landed on top of Hintz who had breezed past the Bobcat defense. Hintz contolled the ball with one touch before sending a well hit ball into the right side panel of the net for the game winner. The entire play took only 12 seconds off the clock in the final overtime period.
Hintz's score is his third in the last two games and his third of the season. Last week, Hintz scored the game-tying and game-winning goal at Wheeling Jesuit to keep Charleston's WVIAC record spotless.
In the game, Teepen took the victory in goal with five saves, while Vincent was credited with two assists.
With the victory UC locks up the top-seed and home field advantage throughout the WVIAC Tournament next week. The Golden Eagles will take on the winner of Wheeling Jesuit/Shepherd on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 7:00 pm (Schoenbaum Stadium).
