GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's soccer team rallied from two goals down in the final 30 minutes of regulation and dominated play for most of the game, posting a 3-3 double overtime tie against South Carolina Tuesday night at Stone Stadium. The Spartans out-shot the Gamecocks by a 28-13 margin, held an 11-5 edge in corner kicks and maintained possession for almost 70 percent of the game.

“Our guys showed a lot of fight and character tonight,” head coach Justin Maullin said. “We have faith in our team and in each other that if we fall down in a game, we know we have the ability and heart to come back against any opponent.”

UNCG had the game's first scoring chance in the 14^th minute of play. Freshman midfielder Leeroy Maguraushe (Milton Keynes, England/Stantonbury) gained possession in the middle and sent a through ball between two South Carolina defenders. Junior defender Jordan Poarch (Middletown, Del./Virginia) made a run and got behind the backline before firing a shot one-on-one against Gamecock goalkeeper Marco Velez over the cross bar.

South Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the 36^th minute as it took advantage of its first strong scoring chance of the game. Koty Millard made a run down the right-hand side and sent a cross to the top of the 18-yard box. Asa Kryst laid off a touch pass to an on-charging Danny Deakin who beat senior goalkeeper Logan Rohde (Cary, N.C./Greensboro) in the bottom right corner.

The Gamecocks were able to take a 2-0 lead just before half, despite being out-shot 9-4 at that point in the game. South Carolina took advantage of a Spartans' foul from 25-yards out. Deakin stepped up and ripped a shot over the UNCG wall and into the upper corner for his second goal of the game.

The Spartans had one final chance in the last minute of the first half. Junior Nicholas Downs (Great Falls, Mont./Charles M. Russell) sent a cross into the box off a set piece and Damieon Thomas (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Georgia Military Academy) rose above his defender, but his header went just wide of the goal.

UNCG came out in the second half and controlled the run of play from the start of the second 45. The Spartans attacked the South Carolina defense continually and finally broke through in the 58^th minute of play. Redshirt sophomore midfielder Rouven Wahlfeldt (Velbert, Germany/Gymnasium Waldstrasse) took the ball at the midline and sent a long ball to the top of the 18-yard box. Thomas beat his defender to the ball and headed the ball over the head of Velez for his second goal of the season, pulling the Spartans within one at 2-1.

South Carolina responded just 3:16 later as it took advantage of its first scoring chance in the second half. Ryan Arambula took a shot from 25-yards out that was easily blocked by a UNCG defender. The ball took a wild bounce and found the foot of Deakin who deposited it into the back of the net for his third goal of the game and a 3-1 lead in the 61^st minute.

The third goal for the Gamecocks ignited the Spartans' attack even more as it basically held possession and attacked for the final 30 minutes of the second half. The Spartans were pushing from all angles and Downs made a long run from the backline through the South Carolina defense. He was able to turn the corner on the defense and ripped a shot on goal. The ball ricocheted off a South Carolina defender and straight into the goal to narrow the UNCG deficit to 3-2.

Senior forward Ben Burdon (Charlotte, N.C./High Point) had a chance in the 71^st minute as he made a run down the right-hand side, beating multiple defenders. Burdon got one-on-one against Velez, but his shot was thwarted. The Spartans came within inches of tying the game in the 83^rd minute. Francois ripped a shot from 15-yards out that was saved and the rebound popped out in front. Thomas made a run and got his foot on the ball, but Velez was able to get enough of the ball to keep it out of the goal.

The Gamecocks were not as lucky in the 85^th minute of play as another long ball was played into the box and Thomas was hauled down, awarding the Spartans a penalty kick. Maguraushe calmly stepped up to the penalty spot and ripped a shot into the top corner, tying the game with his second career goal.

The Spartans had a final chance to take the lead in regulation as sophomore defender Eric Gunnarsson (Falkenberg, Sweden) made a long run up the left-hand side. Gunnarsson got past a handful of South Carolina defenders but his crossing attempt into open space in the 18-yard box was cleared at the last second by the Gamecocks sending the game into overtime.

The Spartans continued their dominant play in the extra periods and had all of the dangerous chances. Francois had a chance in the 99^th minute of play as his shot from 15-yards was just wide and Quin Lema (Pembroke, Bermuda/Montverde Academy) saw his shot from 18-yards out ticketed for the corner punch away by Velez on a game-saving play in the 100^th minute.

The Spartans' 28 shots are a season-high as 11 different players recorded shots. Francois led all players with seven shots while Thomas added five shots in the resounding effort. Rohde posted four saves in 110 minutes while Velez finished with nine stops for the Gamecocks.

The Spartans return home for the first of three straight home games beginning Friday evening as they host UT-Rio Grande Valley. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.

-UNCG-