Men's Soccer: No. 8 WVU Falls at No. 6 UCSB
September 10, 2011 12:34 AM | General
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The No. 8 West Virginia University men’s soccer team fell 2-0 at No. 6 UC Santa Barbara in front of 3,136 fans on Friday evening at Harder Stadium in Santa Barbara, Calif.
“It was poor execution on our part, but there was good soccer played by both sides tonight in terms of sustained possession,” coach Marlon LeBlanc said. “It was just the final pass we were lacking today and I thought it could have been construed as boring for the lack of goalmouth activity.”
David Opoku got the Gauchos on the board in the 22nd minute off a corner kick from Sam Garza. Opoku crept up unmarked and got a header on it past goalkeeper Pat Eavenson on the near side of the net.
“When you come out you have to make sure you’re going to get it or stay back,” LeBlanc said. “We had two men guarding Opoku and he’s a big boy and was able to get in there and get his head on it.”
Despite having the better play in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, the Gauchos struck again with an insurance goal in the 64th minute when Luis Silva chipped a ball from about 19 yards out over a challenging Eavenson.
Josue Madueno started the play running down the right side and passing off to Dom Sarle. At that point Eavenson came out to challenge Sarle, who lost the ball, regained control and passed it to Silva in the middle of the field.
“We don’t beat ourselves typically and the backbreaker was that it was against the run of play,” LeBlanc said. “It was at the stage of the game where we were on top of the game, connecting passes and playing in their half. The next thing you know they play a long ball and then a mistouch by one of our players.”
West Virginia’s second half opportunities started with a corner kick by midfielder Travis Pittman in the 54th minute that midfielder Matt Drake tried to hit out of mid-air. A Gaucho defender was able to get to the loose ball and clear it out of the zone.
One minute later midfielder Shadow Sebele had a corner from the other side of the field that got to forward Peabo Doue who had a shot blocked after settling the ball out of mid-air.
WVU finished with four shots compared to UCSB’s nine shots, while the corner kick total was tied at 4-4. Eavenson made three saves for the Mountaineers, while Andre Grandt did not have to make a save in the shutout effort.
UCSB opened the evening with offensive pressure from James Kiffe who had a shot in the first minute that went to Eavenson’s right and a free kick in the third minute that went wide left.
WVU was able to draw three consecutive corner kicks in the 12th minute, but were unable to get a shot off.
After a shot from Sebele was blocked in the 22nd minute, Drake took a shot from about 25 yards out in the 25th minute that went just wide right of the Gaucho goal. Drake had identical shot in the 33rd minute for WVU’s second of the evening.
Drake led the Mountaineers with two shots, while Sebele and Gaddis each had one. Kiffe led the Gauchos with three shots, while Opoku and Silva had two apiece.
Defender Eric Schoenle made the defensive play of the game after an Opoku shot went wide in the 36th minute and somehow made it back on the goal line, where Schoenle was able to clear it out of harm’s way.
The Mountaineers return to action on Sunday, Sept. 11, in San Luis Obispo, Calif., against Cal Poly. Kickoff at Spanos Stadium is schedule for 4 p.m.
“It was poor execution on our part, but there was good soccer played by both sides tonight in terms of sustained possession,” coach Marlon LeBlanc said. “It was just the final pass we were lacking today and I thought it could have been construed as boring for the lack of goalmouth activity.”
David Opoku got the Gauchos on the board in the 22nd minute off a corner kick from Sam Garza. Opoku crept up unmarked and got a header on it past goalkeeper Pat Eavenson on the near side of the net.
“When you come out you have to make sure you’re going to get it or stay back,” LeBlanc said. “We had two men guarding Opoku and he’s a big boy and was able to get in there and get his head on it.”
Despite having the better play in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, the Gauchos struck again with an insurance goal in the 64th minute when Luis Silva chipped a ball from about 19 yards out over a challenging Eavenson.
Josue Madueno started the play running down the right side and passing off to Dom Sarle. At that point Eavenson came out to challenge Sarle, who lost the ball, regained control and passed it to Silva in the middle of the field.
“We don’t beat ourselves typically and the backbreaker was that it was against the run of play,” LeBlanc said. “It was at the stage of the game where we were on top of the game, connecting passes and playing in their half. The next thing you know they play a long ball and then a mistouch by one of our players.”
West Virginia’s second half opportunities started with a corner kick by midfielder Travis Pittman in the 54th minute that midfielder Matt Drake tried to hit out of mid-air. A Gaucho defender was able to get to the loose ball and clear it out of the zone.
One minute later midfielder Shadow Sebele had a corner from the other side of the field that got to forward Peabo Doue who had a shot blocked after settling the ball out of mid-air.
WVU finished with four shots compared to UCSB’s nine shots, while the corner kick total was tied at 4-4. Eavenson made three saves for the Mountaineers, while Andre Grandt did not have to make a save in the shutout effort.
UCSB opened the evening with offensive pressure from James Kiffe who had a shot in the first minute that went to Eavenson’s right and a free kick in the third minute that went wide left.
WVU was able to draw three consecutive corner kicks in the 12th minute, but were unable to get a shot off.
After a shot from Sebele was blocked in the 22nd minute, Drake took a shot from about 25 yards out in the 25th minute that went just wide right of the Gaucho goal. Drake had identical shot in the 33rd minute for WVU’s second of the evening.
Drake led the Mountaineers with two shots, while Sebele and Gaddis each had one. Kiffe led the Gauchos with three shots, while Opoku and Silva had two apiece.
Defender Eric Schoenle made the defensive play of the game after an Opoku shot went wide in the 36th minute and somehow made it back on the goal line, where Schoenle was able to clear it out of harm’s way.
The Mountaineers return to action on Sunday, Sept. 11, in San Luis Obispo, Calif., against Cal Poly. Kickoff at Spanos Stadium is schedule for 4 p.m.
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