Men's Soccer: Mountaineers Defeat Old Dominion
September 12, 2010 04:33 PM | General
NORFOLK, Va. – The West Virginia University men’s soccer team used a game-winning goal in the 85th minute from sophomore Eric Schoenle to defeat Old Dominion, 2-1, in the final match of the Stihl Soccer Classic in Norfolk, Va., on Sunday afternoon.
“We needed this one big time. We didn’t want to fall to 1-3 and we already let two games get away from us this year,” coach Marlon LeBlanc said. “Today the guy’s did a good job of sticking to the game plan. We lost it a little bit in the second half, but then regained the momentum. We were pretty good today and needed the win to get back to .500 on the road against a very good team.”
Schoenle scored the first goal of his career off a corner from sophomore Travis Pittman. Schoenle was able to break in front of the pack following the corner and knocked a header into the right side of the goal. The assist was Pittman’s second of the season.
“Being one of the taller guys on the team, it’s (corner kick) pretty much my only opportunity to score a goal and help the team out,” Schoenle said. “I finally got that first goal and got the monkey off my back.”
The Monarchs (3-1) out-shot West Virginia (1-2), 12-9, while the Mountaineers had seven corner kicks to Old Dominion’s three.
The Mountaineers struck first 31 minutes into the game when junior Franck Tayou netted his second goal of the season. Sophomore Peabo Doue played the ball to sophomore Uwem Etuk, who played a cross to a streaking Franck Tayou. Franck Tayou was able to receive the cross and put the ball past the keeper in the upper-right side of the net. The assists were Etuk’s third of the season and Doue’s second.
“Peabo passed the ball to Uwem and I think I was on his right side,” Franck Tayou recalled. “I saw some space and made a run, got the ball and I saw the goalie came out. At first I wanted to chip it, but at the last minute I decided to strike it as hard as I could.”
Old Dominion was able to tie the game at 1-1 in the 71st minute on a goal from Gideon Asante. Yannick Smith passed the ball to Asante who drew senior keeper Zach Johnson out of the net and Asante was able to put the ball over Johnson for the tying goal.
The Monarchs previous best chance came in the first minute when Nick Foglesong blasted a shot that Johnson saved point blank. Johnson also had two saves on ODU’s leading scorer, Chris Harmon.
Johnson finished the game playing all 90 minutes and recording five saves.
With the second-place finish in the tournament, the Mountaineers placed Schoenle, Franck Tayou and junior Ray Gaddis on the all-tournament team.
The Mountaineers will return home next weekend to host the BIG EAST Partner Weekend. West Virginia will take on Cal State Fullerton on Friday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m., followed by a match with James Madison on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 3:30 p.m. Both games will be played at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
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