Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The short-handed UNCG men's soccer team suffered a hard-fought 3-1 loss to Southern Conference rival Furman Tuesday night at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. The loss snaps the Spartans' eight-game unbeaten streak against Furman dating back to 2008 and also ends UNCG's shutout streak of the Paladins at 695:19 minutes during that eight-game stretch.
“All the credit to Furman today, they came to play from the get go,” head coach Justin Maullin said. “We tied it up in the first half to make a game of it and quite honestly gave up a silly goal in the second to give them back the lead. Congrats to Furman, it is the first time they have beaten us since 2008 and it was a long streak without conceding a goal to them over 600-plus minutes before tonight.”
Furman had the game's first chance in just the third minute of play. Forward Bobby Edet got behind the Spartans' defense and was off on a breakaway. His shot got past freshman goalkeeper William Pyle (Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell) but rolled wide of the post. The Paladins took a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute of action as Dylan Rowe made a run down the left-hand side from his defensive position and sent a cross into the box. Lewis Hawke was there at the six-yard box and his header snuck past Pyle for the early Furman lead.
The Spartans came back and tied the game in the 27th minute of action. Junior midfielder Noah DeAngelo (Burlington, N.C./Bishop McGuiness) gained possession just outside the 18-yard box and laid the ball off on the top of the box. Junior Lukas Zarges (Freidrichsdorf, Germany/Phillip Reis Schulle) took the ball, turned and sent a bending shot over the out-stretched arms of Furman goalkeeper Sven Lissek for his first goal of the season tying the game at 1-1.
UNCG had a chance in the closing minutes of the first half. Junior forward Jacques Francois (Port Au Prince, Haiti/Louisburg) got the ball on the midline and drove against the Furman defense. Francois made his way through the defenders and ripped a shot form 15-yards out that beat Lissek but sailed just wide of the post.
Furman came on in the second half, holding a 7-4 edge in shots. Edet gave the Paladins back the lead for good in the 61st minute of play. Hawke won the ball against a UNCG defender and was able to pass it across the mouth of the goal. Edet took the pass from eight-yards out and struck it past Pyle for the 2-1 lead. The Paladins rounded out the scoring in the 71st minute as Hawke was pulled down in the box for a penalty kick that Adrian McInnis stepped up and converted for Furman and the 3-1 lead.
In the 78th minute, the Spartans had their best chance of the second half. UNCG send a free kick into the box where Lissek came out of his goal to punch away. He misjudged the ball and was out of position as sophomore defender Corey Croegaert (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) lunged at the loose ball sending it towards goal but a Furman defender was there to clear it off the line.
Pyle picked up the loss for UNCG despite making five saves for the Spartans who were out-shot 15-7 in the loss. Lissek got the victory as he made one save and took advantage of a timely team save behind him.
The Spartans return to action Saturday night as they travel to Spartanburg, S.C., to meet up with the Wofford Terriers, who currently hold sole possession of second place in the league standings. UNCG is tied for third overall with Furman and East Tennessee State with three games remaining in the regular season.
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