Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG redshirt sophomore forward Christopher Reingen (Dusseldorf, Germany/Univ. of Dusseldorf) picked the perfect time to score his first career goal, finding the back of the net in the 102nd minute of second overtime to lift the Spartans to a 2-1 victory over defending Southern Conference champion Wofford Saturday night at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. The golden goal capped a thrilling weekend for the Spartans and UNCG as the men's soccer National Championship teams from 1985, 1986 and 1987 were inducted into the UNCG Athletics Hall of Fame and were present at the game to witness the game-winner.
“Tonight was a fantastic game,” head coach Justin Maullin said. “For us to get a win in front of our alumni on such a special weekend is a very fitting way to cap the festivities. Our alumni built this program and we wanted to reward and honor them with a great win tonight. It is great that Reingen could get the game-winning goal tonight because about a year and a half ago, doctors told him he would never be able to play again with his injury. It is a testament to his mentality though to go home, get the surgery, come back and help the team win tonight.”
The game-winning tally came after over 100 minutes of soccer had been played in front of a crowd of 1,028 as the Spartans were awarded a free kick from 40 yards out. Senior forward Austin Miller (High Point, N.C./High Point Central) touched a ball to freshman Moises Gonzalez (Bailey, N.C./Southern Nash) down the left-hand side and Gonzalez sent a perfect cross to the top of the 18-yard box. Reingen took his first touch and whipped a shot from 20-yards out through traffic and past the diving Wofford goalkeeper, sending the stadium and Spartans into a frenzy.
“You play for those moments and work hard for those chances,” Reingen said. “Personally for me, this goal means a lot to me as I was out for a long time and had to go back home for surgery. It was a long road back and finally getting a goal -- helping my team win tonight -- is a great feeling.”
The double overtime victory marks the first overtime victory for the Spartans since Nov. 11, 2011 (2-1 vs. Appalachian State) as they had been 0-5-4 in extra time over the past two plus years. Additionally, it marks the first time UNCG has scored a golden goal in the second overtime since Nov. 16, 2007 when the Spartans downed the College of Charleston 2-1 in the SoCon Tournament.
The victory improved the Spartans to 1-0-1 in SoCon play and into a tie for second place with four points overall. It also raised UNCG's record to 19-3-1 all-time against Wofford, including a 16-2-1 mark during the regular season but the Spartans' first since 2011. The victory sets up a matchup of top two teams Tuesday night when the Spartans travel to Mercer for the first-ever meeting in SoCon play against the Bears, who are 2-0-0 in league play.
The teams battled back and forth for the first 45 minutes with the Terriers holding a 6-4 edge in first half shots, but most shots were from distance for Wofford in the opening half. The Spartans' best chance of the first half came in the 17th minute as freshman Tommi Gardarsson (Reykjavik, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland) sent a through ball into the box. Miller found some space and fired a shot on goal that Wofford goalkeeper Garrett Closs was able to punch over the cross bar.
Wofford's top chance of the first 45 minutes came in the 32nd minute of action. Forward Matthew Aurednik found some space along the end line and drove past a UNCG defender towards goal. Aurednik drove down the end line and ripped a shot on goal but freshman goalkeeper William Pyle (Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell) was there to thwart the attack. Reingen had a pair of chances late in the second half with two headers that Closs was able to save to keep the game scoreless.
The Spartans got the game's first goal in the 55th minute of play as Miller made a long run down the left-hand side and got hauled down in the box for a penalty kick call. Gardarsson stepped up to the spot and calmly placed his shot in the bottom corner, opposite of where Closs was going for the 1-0 lead. The goal is the second of the season for him and both have come from the penalty spot.
Wofford started to gain momentum after the Spartans' goal, generating chances against the Spartans' defense. In the 60th minute Connor Davis tried to take advantage of a Spartan miscue as Pyle was caught out of position. Davis sent a shot that was surely goal-bound but freshman defender Eric Gunnarsson (Falkenberg, Sweden) made a diving save to keep the ball out of the net.
Pyle started to take control of the game in the second half, making eight of his career-high 10 saves in the second 45 minutes of play. He stoned Nestor Jaramillo in the 67th minute with a full extension diving stop from 10-yards out and also thwarted a header from Forrest Lasso from close range in the 74th minute.
Wofford finally was able to get a ball past Pyle in the 75th minute of play. Will Puckett maintained possession in the midfield on a counter attack and sent a long through ball behind the Spartans' defense. Aurednik ran onto the ball and beat Pyle on a breakaway for his league-leading eighth goal of the year.
The Terriers kept pressing in the final minutes of the second half and looked ready to take the lead in the 89th minute as Aurednik again got behind the defense. This time, Pyle was able to get enough of his shot to keep it out of the back of the net sending the game into overtime.
The first overtime was played without many strong scoring chances until the 100th minute of play. Junior forward Jacques Francois (Port Au Prince, Haiti/Louisburg College) found space at the top of the 18-yard box and ripped a bending shot that grazed the outside of the post before heading just wide, setting the stage for Reingen's heroics early in the second overtime.
Pyle picked up his first career victory Saturday as he made a career-high 10 saves. In his last three games, Pyle has made seven or more saves in all three games and is averaging 6.8 saves per game in his first four games. Closs picked up the loss for Wofford as he made five saves as the Terriers out-shot UNCG 23-12 in the loss.
The Spartans return to action Tuesday night when they travel to Macon, Ga., for a meeting against league foe Mercer. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
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