Box score
BANNER ELK, N.C. --- The Lenoir-Rhyne
University men's soccer team battled its way to a 1-0 victory over
Lees-McRae College on Thursday night at Tate Field, scoring the
match's only goal early in the second half and staving off a late
charge by the Bobcats to hold on for the victory.
Lees-McRae (3-2) outshot the Bears (3-1) by a 14-8 margin in the
match, including three attempts that were denied by the woodwork.
The two sides played skillful, flowing soccer for much of the
night, engaging in constant battles for possession throughout the
contest.
Neither team could break the deadlock throughout the first 45
minutes, with the best scoring chance of the opening half coming in
the 29th minute when Lees-McRae's Lee Squires (Sheffield, U.K.)
sent a beautifully struck bending ball across the face of goal from
20 yards distance, only to watch his glorious effort ring off the
far post.
Lenoir-Rhyne turned up the intensity in the early stages of the
second half, finally ending the scoring drought midway through the
56th minute when Jordan Holmes (Southport, England) sent a corner
to the far post, setting up Sean Rogers (Dublin, Ireland) for the
free header to put the Bears up 1-0.
The Bobcats nearly put in the equalizer in the 65th minute when
James Galvani (High Wycombe, U.K.) flicked a header over the keeper
and off the crossbar. Lees-McRae would outshoot the Bears by a 5-2
margin over the final 25 minutes, but L-R keeper Tom Heath
(Solihull, England) would be equal to the task, making a pair of
clutch saves to preserve the shutout.
Lees-McRae returns to the pitch on Saturday when the Bobcats
host Mount Olive College to resume their Conference Carolinas
schedule. The match is slated to kick off at 7:30 p.m.
- LMC -
