HARRISONBURG, Va. – The No. 6 West Virginia University men's soccer team earned a point against James Madison with a 2-2 draw at Sentara Park, Sunday evening. The Mountaineers go to 10-1-4 on the season while JMU is now 7-2-6.
West Virginia remains on top of the Sun Belt Standings with a 5-0-2 record in conference play and 17 points, two ahead of Marshall.
Junior
Marcus Caldeira and freshman
Isaac Scheer each scored for the Mountaineers with Caldeira and graduate student
Sergio Ors Navarro each collecting assists.
Overall, the Mountaineers outshot James Madison, 17-8, including a 7-4 edge in shots on goal. WVU also held a 6-4 advantage on corner kicks.
In the first half, West Virginia outshot JMU, 6-2, but the best chance before the break came in the 13
th minute for JMU as Evan Southern's shot hit the post.
With the game still scoreless into the second half, the Dukes took the lead in the 54
th minute.
The Mountaineers looked for the equalizer and found it in the 71
st minute as Ors Navarro laid off the ball for a streaking Caldeira with a back heel pass. The Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year knew, firing a left-footed shot around the keeper and into the back of the net.
Caldeira nearly gave the Mountaineers the lead in the 75
th minute, but his shot was saved and then bounced down off the crossbar before being cleared away.
West Virginia kept attacking and Scheer delivered for the Mountaineers in the 83
rd minute, taking a pass from Caldeira and getting a shot off just before the defender slid in with a tackle. The JMU goalkeeper got a foot on the ball but could not keep it out of the net.
With James Madison now down, the Dukes earned a free kick in the 88
th minute. Kevin Larsson, who scored the first goal of the game, curled in a ball toward the box that snuck its way into corner of the net as no player on either side got a foot or head on it.
The Mountaineers will be back home for Senior Night on Thursday evening against Coastal Carolina. Kickoff from Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
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