October 3, 2009

Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. - Longwood University topped the University of Richmond of the Atlantic 10 Conference 2-1 in a physical match on Saturday night at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. Freshman Patrick McDaniel/Midlothian (Cosby) scored the game-winning goal for Longwood (2-6-2) in the 87th minute, the first goal of his career. The Lancers return to action on Wednesday, October 7, when they travel to Charlottesville to take on the University of Virginia of the Atlantic Coast Conference at 7 p.m..

Longwood controlled the ball early in the match, outshooting Richmond 5-3 in the first half.  The Lancers scored first in the 29th minute as senior Marcus Dixon/Gloucester (Gloucester) found an opening in the box and put a shot past the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper to go ahead 1-0. The Lancers would play the last 51 minutes of the match with only 10 players after senior Giovanni Peralta/Lorton (Robert E. Lee) was sent off in the 39th minute.

The second half started with both teams trying to press offensively whenever they had the ball. Richmond (3-6-0) would tie the game in the 84th minute on a Houston Oldham shot from the corner of the goal box that snuck past Longwood goalkeeper Joel Helmick/Springfield (W.T.Woodson) to even the score at 1-1. The Lancers would not stay down long as they turned the pressure up. They worked a corner kick and senior Brian Germain/McLean (Langley) sent the corner to the top of the box to Harvey Headley/Coventry, England (Stoke Park) who sent a pass to McDaniel for a header into the upper-right corner, giving Longwood a 2-1 lead. Richmond had one shot at the end of the game but it went harmlessly wide as the Lancers held on for the win.

“We worked really hard out there today,” said Longwood head coach Jon Atkinson. “We got the early goal and then we had to deal with the send off 10 minutes later. That made us work even harder and we got some bounces tonight we hadn't been getting. It is good to build our confidence as we head in to a difficult stretch of our schedule.”

Longwood was led by Dixon who had three shots, two of them on goal. Helmick had one save for the Lancers.

Longwood outshot Richmond 12-8 and Richmond edged the Lancers 3-2 in corners.