Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's soccer team held a one-goal lead twice in regulation but couldn't hold on as the Spartans posted a 2-2 double overtime tie in their home opener against visiting UAB at the UNCG Soccer Stadium Saturday afternoon. The tie keeps the Spartans unbeaten on the year at 1-0-2 and marks their second straight 2-2 tie after posting the same result last weekend at North Florida.
The Spartans had the game's first chance in the 28th minute of action off a corner kick. Freshman Faisal Almubaslat (Greensboro, N.C./Northern Guilford) sent the ball into the box where sophomore Josh Masten (Mount Pleasant, S.C./Wando) flicked it to the back post. Junior defender Eric Gunnarsson (Falkenberg, Sweden) got his head on the ball and sent it back across the grain past UAB goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky, but it sailed over the cross bar.
UNCG took a 1-0 lead just before halftime as this time it converted a corner kick in the 44th minute. Sophomore midfielder Leeroy Maguraushe (Milton Keynes, England/Stantonbury) sent the ball to the back post where freshman defender Casey Penland (High Point, N.C./High Point Christian Academy) rose above the defenders and hammered home a header for his first career goal.
The Spartans came within inches of taking a two-goal lead early in the second half in the 50th minute off a set piece. Senior midfielder Ricky Chavez (Barranquilla, Columbia/UNC Pembroke) struck a shot from 25-yards out through the UAB wall, but Kuzminsky made a sprawling save to keep the Blazers within one.
UAB took advantage of a UNCG miscue on defense to tie the game at 1-1 in the 59th minute. The Spartans had a missed clearance at the top of the 18-yard box where Massimo Ferrin pounced on the loose ball and slotted a ball from 15-yards out past senior goalkeeper Logan Rohde (Cary, N.C./Greensboro College).
The Spartans went on the attack after the game was tied and retook the lead in the 78th minute of action. Senior forward Damieon Thomas (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Georgia Military Institute) made a run down the right hand side and sent a cross through the box. The ball made its way all the way across the goal where Almubaslat deposited it into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead on his second goal of the year.
UAB had an immediate answer, scoring the tying goal just 23 seconds later. Once again, the Blazers took advantage of a UNCG miscue on the back line as the Spartans turned the ball over at the top of the 18-yard box. Ferrin again was the beneficiary of the mistake as he took the shot from 15-yards out, beating Rohde and tying the game.
The Spartans pushed furiously down the stretch looking to win the game and had three chances in the final 15 seconds of regulation. After a long throw-in, sophomore Alexander Lewis (Arden, N.C./T.C. Roberson) had shot from 15-yards blocked by a sliding defender. The rebound popped to the right-side of the goal where Thomas had the goalkeeper beat, but his shot headed for the back of the goal was cleared off the line by Tarnue Tyler. The second rebound came back into play with three seconds left but Maguraushe's rushed shot was high over the cross bar.
The teams traded chances in the overtime period when UNCG held a 4-1 edge in shots to finish the game with a 22-9 advantage. Additionally, the Spartans recorded a 7-2 edge on corner kicks but UAB tallied eight saves to salvage the tie.
The Spartans are off until next weekend when they travel to UNC Asheville Sept. 11 for a 2 p.m. contest.
-- UNCG --
