Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's soccer team took over sole possession of first place in the Southern Conference standings heading into the final week of the regular season as the Spartans posted a convincing 3-0 victory over league foe Wofford Saturday night on Senior Night at the UNCG Soccer Stadium. The victory completes the season series sweep for the Spartans against the Terries as UNCG improves to 21-4-1 all-time against Wofford.
Prior to the game the Spartans honored their six seniors with a pregame ceremony. UNCG recognized the careers of Evan Rees (Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Technical CC), Ben Burdon (Charlotte, N.C./High Point), Christopher Reingen (Dusseldorf, Germany/Univ. of Dusseldorf), Jacques Francois (Port Au Prince, Haiti/Louisburg College), Corey Croegaert (Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt) and Noah DeAngelo (Burlington, N.C./Bishop McGuiness).
“Tonight was a great way to send our seniors out,” head coach Justin Maullin said. “We allowed each of the six to speak to the team prior to the game. Our guys played with an intensity and passion for each other tonight as they wanted to win this one for our seniors.”
The victory improves the Spartans to 9-5-3 overall on the year and 5-1-2 in SoCon play as they run their unbeaten streak to six straight games at 4-0-2. Additionally, the Spartans now have 17 points in the league standings, leap-frogging Furman for first place as the Paladins have 16 points at 5-2-1 after falling to ETSU Friday. UNCG also now also owns a four-point lead for one of the two byes in the SoCon Tournament with two games left to play.
The Spartans controlled play in the first half holding a 9-2 edge in shots but could not break through against the Terriers. In the second half, UNCG stepped up its play even more and dominated possession and out-shooting Wofford 10-4 in the second half on its way to a 19-6 edge over 90 minutes.
The Spartans started to buzz in the second half and had their first chance in the 51st minute. Freshman Leeroy Maguraushe (Milton Keynes, England/Stantonbury) slotted a pass into the box where junior forward Damieon Thomas (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Georgia Military College) was holding off a defender. Thomas turned on his defender and ripped a shot falling down, but Wofford goalkeeper Garrett Closs was there to make the save.
UNCG struck for the game's first goal in the 59th minute of play as Thomas was hauled down in the box, awarding the Spartans a penalty kick. Freshman midfielder Matteo Busio (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford) stepped up for his first career try from the spot and calmly buried the kick past Closs for his third goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
The Spartans kept coming and had a chance in the 64th minute off a set piece. Maguraushe sent a ball into the box where Francois was able to possess it and pass it off to redshirt sophomore Rouven Wahlfeldt (Velbert, Germany/Gymnasium Waldstrasse). Wahlfeldt was able to rip a shot from 14-yards out, but Closs was there once again to keep it a one-goal contest.
UNCG broke through for its second goal of the game in the 66th minute of action. Francois made a run down the right-hand side and was able to beat three Wofford defenders before turning the end line. He sent a cross into the box where it found Maguraushe from six-yards out and he tapped it into the net for his team-leading sixth goal of the year. The assist was Francois' league-leading seventh of the season, raising his SoCon leading total to 17 points.
The Spartans rounded out the victory in the 82nd minute as their third different freshman scored a goal. This time Busio made a run down the middle before finding Matt Mattis (Little Stoke, England) making a diagonal run. Mattis cut towards goal and from a tough angle rocketed a shot past Closs into the top corner for his first career collegiate goal and a 3-0 lead.
Freshman goalkeeper Jon Milligan (Mount Pleasant, S.C./Wando) improved to 4-0-2 in his career as he has been in goal for the entirety of the Spartans' league-best six-game unbeaten streak. Milligan recorded four saves in 90 minutes to pick up his third shutout of the year. He lowered his goals against average on the season to 0.62 in 580 minutes of play. Closs finished with six saves in the loss for the Terriers.
The Spartans will close out the home portion of the regular season Tuesday night when they host VMI. Game time is set for 7 p.m. as UNCG is looking for its third season-series sweep having already swept Wofford and Mercer.
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