Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's soccer team ran its unbeaten streak against Southern Conference rival Furman to eight straight games Tuesday night as the Spartans battled adversity and came home with a 0-0 double overtime tie against the 22nd-ranked Paladins at Stone Soccer Stadium. The Spartans own a 14-13-3 record all-time against the Paladins and have not lost in the series since 2008.
Freshman goalkeeper William Pyle (Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell) made his third straight start and picked up his first career shutout, stoning the Paladins in 110 minutes of play. Pyle posted a career-high seven saves in the 0-0 tie, including a handful of stellar saves late in the second half as the Spartans were forced to play a man down after a red card.
The teams battled back and forth for most of the first half with neither team getting a prime chance until the Paladins had a chance in the 32nd minute. Lewis Hawke had a chance on a cross as his header hit the top of the cross bar but went out of play to keep the game scoreless.
The Spartans started to gain traction in the offensive end during the second half and had its best chance in regulation in the 79th minute off a free kick. Senior Aaron Reifschneider (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) sent a ball into the box where freshman defender Eric Gunnarsson (Falkenberg, Sweden) rose above the defense and headed the ball past Furman goalkeeper Sven Lissek, but it struck the cross bar and fell out of play.
Furman had a couple of chances in the closing minutes of the second half as it took advantage of the extra man after the UNCG ejection. The Paladins put the pressure on the Spartans but the UNCG defense and Pyle stood tall down the stretch and forced overtime.
The teams traded chances in the first overtime period as the Paladins had a shot in the 92nd minute by Adrian McInnis that was thwarted by Pyle. UNCG came right back in the 94th minute as freshman Tommi Gardarsson (Reykjavik, Iceland/Commercial College of Iceland) sent a cross through the box to the back post and senior Austin Miller (High Point, N.C./High Point Central) had a chance to push it past Lissek, but it sailed wide of the goal.
In the second overtime, the Spartans flipped the script on the Paladins despite the man disadvantage as they out-shot the Paladins 4-0 in the final 10 minutes. In the 102nd minute, Christopher Reingen (Dusseldorf, Germany) sent a free kick into the box where Gunnarsson got a head on the ball. His shot beat Lissek but stroke the cross bar and came back into play. Sophomore Corey Croegaert (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) reached for the rebound and poked it off the post to keep the game scoreless.
UNCG had the game's final chance in the 107th minute of play. Gardarsson gained possession in the midfield and sent a through ball behind the Furman defense. Miller ran onto the ball and was one-on-one versus Lissek but he was able to get just enough to keep the game scoreless.
The Spartans will open the home portion of the SoCon schedule Saturday night as they host Wofford. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium and admission is FREE. The game is part of the UNCG Athletics Hall of Fame weekend as UNCG will induct the 1985, 1986 and 1987 men's soccer National Championship teams with an afternoon ceremony at The Terrace at the Greensboro Coliseum. The teams will be recognized at halftime of the Spartans' game against the Terriers and a free fireworks show will follow the game.
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