Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's soccer team waited through a two-hour weather delay at the start of the game Tuesday night before battling valiantly against Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia Tech in a 1-0 loss at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. The Spartans return to action Saturday night as they host Georgia State in their final non-conference home game of the season.
“Certainly a tough loss tonight,” head coach Justin Maullin said. “I feel awful for the players as they are giving their all and certainly didn't deserve a loss tonight, but in the end of the day that is what we did. Our back four was fantastic tonight as we had some new guys step up for us as well as getting big contributions up and down the lineup. I am really proud of our team.”
UNCG held a 17-10 advantage in shots against the Hokies, including a 10-4 edge in the second half as they dominated the run of play. Junior forward Jacques Francois (Port Au Prince, Haiti/Louisburg College) and sophomore Hill Gwynn (Greensboro, N.C./Grimsley) each tallied four shots in the loss.
Virginia Tech had the game's first prime chance in the 28th minute of action. Niels Kirch found a little room from 30-yards out and sent a long shot that sailed just wide of the post. The Spartans came right back down and had a chance off a long throw-in as Corey Croegaert (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) saw his header go just over the cross bar.
The Spartans best chance of the first half came in the 37th minute. UNCG sent a long throw-in into the box that was initially cleared to the top of the 18-yard box. Senior Aaron Reifschneider (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) sent a ball back into the box where Gwynn rose above the defense and sent a header on goal but Virginia Tech goalkeeper Ben Lundgaard was there to make the stop.
Virginia Tech's best chance of the half came in the 40th minute of play on the counter attack. The Hokies turned a Spartan free kick into an opportunity of their own, breaking down the field where Forrest White was found streaking into the 18-yard box. White ripped a shot form 12 yards out on goal but fifth-year goalkeeper Davis Griffin (Raleigh, N.C./Leesville Road) was there to thwart the attack keeping the game scoreless.
The Spartans came out of the halftime break and immediately put the pressure on the Hokies. Francois has a strong chance in the 48th minute of half as he got some space on the top of the 18-yard box and sent a shot through traffic. The ball ricocheted off a Virginia Tech defender and changed direction but Lundgaard was able to make a diving stop to keep the game scoreless.
The Hokies took advantage of a lucky bounce to score the game's lone goal in the 50th minute of action. Merlin Baus sent a long free kick into the box where Collin Verfurth was able to head the ball towards goal on the end line and it found its way in the back of the net.
The Spartans kept attacking and had chances through the half. In the 75th minute of play, Croegaert had another chance with a header off the long throw-in that was stopped by Lundgaard and senior Austin Miller (High Point, N.C./High Point Central) had a shot from 15-yards blocked in the 79th minute of action.
UNCG used every second to battle for a tying goal as it had a chance in the final seconds of regulation off a free kick. Reifschneider sent a long ball into the box where all 10 UNCG players were stationed. Miller was able to bring the ball down on the back post and quickly get a shot off that crashed off the side netting as the final seconds wound down.
Griffin posted five saves on the night for the Spartans while Lundgaard stepped up and added six saves in the shutout for the Hokies.
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