Box Score Game Stats
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The men’s soccer program grabbed their first conference win Saturday night, soaring over the Eagles of Georgia Southern, 1-0. Wilson Hood knocked in the lone goal of the match in the first four minutes of the game off a free kick awarded inside the box. The Terriers were able to hold on to the lead for the rest of the 86 minutes, giving Coach Polson’s athletes a long due win. Wofford improves to 2-9-2 in the regular season. The win puts the Terriers at 1-5 in the conference. The Eagles fall to a 3-9-2 record on the year, and gives Georgia Southern a 0-5 standing in the Southern Conference.
Wofford controlled the first half, outshooting the Eagles eight to one in the first 45 minutes. The Terriers struck early, taking a 1-0 lead in the first four minutes of the match. Alex Hutchins pressured a Georgia Southern defender near the 18 yard box, forcing the Eagle to drop the ball back to the GSU goalkeeper, Ryan Platt. Platt made a critical mistake, picking up the pass with his hands, giving Wofford a free kick close to seven yards in front of the goal. The entire Georgia Southern team lined across the goal line in an attempt to block the width of the goal with their bodies. Armin Kinigadner stood next to Wilson Hood, seven feet out from the net, with his foot on the ball ready for the whistle. When the whistle was blown, Kinigadner tipped the ball to Hood, who ripped the ball over the heads of the GSU players, giving the senior his fourth goal of the year. Kinigadner was awarded the assist.
“I’ve been in sort of a personal drought,” Hood said about scoring the lone goal of the match, “but all I care about is the win. It’s a win in the conference and that was really big for us.” Hood commented on the rest of the match, stating, “We played well in the first half. We came out to win in the first half, and not to lose in the second half, which was a bit disappointing, but we held out for the win and one to nil is still a victory.”
With a 1-0 lead, Wofford continued to press forward, seeking a two goal advantage. In the 21st minute Kenny Owens put a low cross into the box from the left side. Hood searched for his second goal, one-timing the ball toward the net, but Platt saved the attempt. The ball rebounded just yards outside the goal to Andrew Eppelsheimer, who skied the ball over the crossbar.
The Terriers nearly put another score on the board with six minutes left in the first half. Owens took a throughball on the foot and dribbled inside the box, forcing Platt to come off his line. Platt skidded into Owens shot and saved the attempt with his body. The ball bounced backward to Dennis Moore, who lined up a chip shot over the heads of the GSU defenders toward the open net. The ball barely nicked the crossbar, falling just short of the goal line.
In the second half, the Eagles turned the tables, pushing forward a number of offensive attacks that nearly tied the game. In the first three minutes of the second half, GSU accounted for two shots on the Wofford goal. One came from a header from GSU’s Thomas Valikonis but Wofford goalkeeper, Andrew Drennan, was there to make the save. A minute later, GSU’s Hunter Norton fired a shot off, but the attempt pressed wide.
One of the Eagles best opportunities came in the 70th minute, as the Eagles leading goal-scorer Jon Cox took the ball into the box, forcing Drennan to charge off his line. Drennan slid into the oncoming attacker and blocked the potential shot, making the ball spin away. Drennan jumped to his feet and dove on the ball, covering it up and keeping it away from danger.
The Eagles tallied for 11 shots in the second half, but the Wofford defense was able to hang on to the one goal lead, giving the Terriers their first win in the Southern Conference. Drennan had a spectacular match, earning the shutout and grabbing five saves.
“It’s like winning a championship, getting that first win,” said Head Coach Polson after the match. “It gives us a confidence. Our focus was to go 4-0 in the last games, which will build up our confidence. If we can do that, then I know we will have the right mindsets going into the tournament, and hopefully do what we did last year and win the championship again.”
The Terriers were led in shots by Owens with three and was closely trailed by Hood and Andrew Eppelsheimer with two. Kinigadner’s assist gives the senior midfielder his sixth set up of the season.
Wofford plays Clemson in their next match-up as they finish out two non-conference games before playing the final match against Furman. The Terriers will face off against the Tigers this Wednesday, October 27th at 2:00pm.
