Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's soccer team battled for 90 minutes in front of a crowd of 2,092 fans Monday night in its home opener at the UNCG Soccer Stadium but the Spartans fell to in-state rival UNCW 2-1 for their first loss of the season. The crowd of 2,092 fans is the largest crowd at UNCG since the 2012 season when 2,779 fans came to watch UNCG and N.C. State play. The Spartans will look to return to the win column Friday night as they host Longwood at 7 p.m.
UNCW (1-0-1), an NCAA Tournament team last year, came out of the gate quickly and scored just 2:34 into the game. Nathaniel Goodwin made a run down the right-hand side and sent a cross through the box. The ball carried over the head of the UNCG defender and Seahawk forward Colin Bonner was there on the end to deposit it into the back of the net past senior goalkeeper Logan Rohde (Cary, N.C./Greensboro College) for the 1-0 lead.
The Spartans showed their fight as they came back and responded with a goal of their own just over eight minutes later in the 11th minute of play. Junior forward Damieon Thomas (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Georgia Military College) intercepted an errant clear from UNCW goalkeeper Sean Melvin about 40-yards from goal. Thomas made a run down the middle of the field and dropped a pass off just inside the 18-yard box. Senior midfielder Noah DeAngelo (Burlington, N.C./Bishop McGuiness) ran onto the ball and just beat Melvin to the spot, poking the ball past him and into the back of the net knotting the game at 1-1.
The Spartans kept the pressure on the Seahawks for the remainder of the first half but could not get the go ahead goal, heading into the break tied at 1-1. The start of the second half was much like the first as UNCW struck for an early goal, this time just over seven minutes into the half in the 53rd minute of play.
The Seahawks were awarded a free kick just inside the midline and quickly took the set piece as UNCG was readying for play. The ball lofted into the 18-yard box where Bonner used his height to bring the ball down and fire a shot that Rohde was able to block back out. The rebound though came out front and Goodwin was able to pounce on the loose ball and fire it into the back of the net for the 2-1 advantage.
The Spartans turned up the pressure down the stretch of the game looking for the equalizing goal. Junior Quin Lema (Pembroke, Bermuda/Montverde Academy) made a run down the right-hand side and sent a cross through the six-yard box but freshman Matt Mattis (Little Stoke, England) was unable to connect with his diving attempt. Junior Nicholas Downs (Great Falls, Mont./Charles M. Russell) had a similar play in the 72nd minute of action as his cross went through the box and past three UNCG forwards attempting to deflect the ball into the back of the net.
UNCW had one last chance to take a two-goal lead in the 73rd minute of play but Rohde came up with a big stop. Jordan Cordero got behind the UNCG defense and was one-on-one against Rohde but he got enough of the ball to poke it just wide of the goal.
The Spartans came within inches of tying the game in the 78th minute of play. Senior forward Ben Burdon (Charlotte, N.C./High Point) got the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and was able to spin off a couple of UNCW defenders. His right-footed shot sailed past Melvin but caught the near goal post thwarting the effort. The Spartans had a final flurry in the closing two minutes, registering four shots but were unable to find the game-tying goal.
Rohde finishing with six saves in the loss as the Spartans out-shot the Seahawks by a 14-13 margin. Nine different Spartans recorded shots in the loss with no player registering more than two shots.
The Spartans continue the stretch that sees them play five out of six games at home Friday when they host Longwood. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.
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