Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG men's soccer sophomore forward Matt Mattis (Little Stoke, England) picked the best time to score his first goal of the season, finding the back of the net in the 93rd minute to give the Spartans a crucial 2-1 overtime victory over Southern Conference co-leader Wofford Tuesday night in Spartanburg. The victory moves the Spartans to 3-2-0 in league play and just three points out of the top spot held by Mercer, the Spartans' next opponent.
The game-winning play started after hard work in the midfield by the Spartans. Wofford had a throw-in but UNCG intercepted the ball and senior Rouven Wahlfeldt (Velbert, Germany/Gymnasium Waldstrasse) flicked the ball over his head into space. Sophomore midfielder Leeroy Maguraushe (Milton Keynes, England/Stantonbury) was the first onto the ball in the midfield and made a run towards the center of the field. He slotted a perfect pass through three Wofford defenders and Mattis' first touch sprung him in behind the defenders. He launched a perfectly place shot under Wichmann from just inside the 18-yard box to give the Spartans' their third overtime golden goal victory of the year.
The short-handed Spartans, who played without four starters for most of the game, battled toe-to-toe with the Terriers on the road the entire game out-shooting Wofford by a 15-11 margin and generating 11 corner kicks. Senior forward Damieon Thomas (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Georgia Military Institute) had one of the Spartans' best chances in the first half in the 21st minute but Joe Wichmann saved his shot from 15-yards out.
The second half saw Wofford (8-4-0, 3-2-0 SoCon) come out quickly and generate a pair of early chances. Kyle Nelson and Kevin Davidson had chances in the first 15 minutes of the second half, but sophomore goalkeeper Jon Milligan (Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Wando) stepped up with some key saves in his second start of the season.
UNCG came back with a pair of chances of its own in the following 10 minutes. Defender Hugo Coicaud (Le Havre, France/Saint-Joseph) ripped a shot from 15-yards out off a corner kick, but Wichmann was able to push it wide of the goal in the 64th minute. Maguraushe came within inches in the 68th minute of action as he fired a shot from 30-yards out but Wichmann poked it over the cross bar.
The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the 74th minute off a corner kick and an advantageous bounce. UNCG played the corner shot and sophomore Alex Lewis (Arden, N.C./T.C. Roberson) fired a cross low across the goalmouth headed for Coicaud, but a Wofford defender blocked the cross into the Terrier net for an own goal.
Wofford came right back and tied the game less than six minutes later in the 80th minute of play. The Terriers were pushing on the Spartans' goal and UNCG attempted the clear the ball out of the 18-yard box. Matthew Aurednik was able to get the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and one-time a shot past Milligan to tie the game at 1-1.
Milligan picked up his first win of the season in his first game since September 11 as he made four saves in 92:55. Wichmann was charged with the loss despite making eight saves against the Spartans.
UNCG returns to action with another pivotal contest Saturday night as it hosts SoCon leader Mercer. The Bears currently hold a three-point lead on the Spartans and posted a 2-1 victory over UNCG in Macon earlier this year. Saturday's game is set for a 7 p.m. start at the UNCG Soccer Stadium and will be aired on ESPN3 and the ESPN App.
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