November 2, 2010

Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University men's soccer team tied UNC Greensboro of the Southern Conference 1-1 in double overtime on Tuesday night at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. The Lancers (2-11-4) were led by senior Harvey Headley | Coventry, England (Stoke Park) with one goal while junior goalkeeper Joel Helmick | Springfield (W.T. Woodson) made seven saves against the Spartans (9-5-4). Longwood returns to action on Saturday, November 6, when it hosts High Point University of the Big South Conference at 6 p.m. at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. Saturday is Senior Night, and Headley will be recognized as the lone senior on the squad. Admission is free.

“We applied ourselves tonight,” said sixth-year head coach Jon Atkinson. “This is a combination of discipline and hard work. Containing UNC Greensboro was a tough task, but we rode through the rough patches and gave it all we had. Unfortunately, the match isn't 88 minutes, and giving up the late goal slowed our momentum. This result gives us belief going in to face High Point, where hopefully we can build traction for the ASC Tournament.”

Both teams took time to settle in before launching an attack to open the match. UNC Greensboro had a free kick sail just over the crossbar from 30 yards out in the 19th minute. In the 20th minute, sophomore Vinnie Llana | Raleigh, N.C. (Broughton) sent a corner kick to the far post, and sophomore Patrick McDaniel | Midlothian (Cosby) got his head on it, sending it towards the near post, but the UNCG goalkeeper got a piece of the ball, pushing it just past the post and keeping the score tied at 0-0. The Spartans had their own opportunity off a corner kick in the 25th minute, but freshman Nick Surkamp | Manassas (Osbourn Park) made a stop on the line. The teams went in to halftime tied 0-0. UNC Greensboro outshot Longwood 5-2 in the first half while the Lancers had a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Longwood took the lead in the 60th minute after Surkamp sent a long throw in over the defense to Headley, who scored. The Lancers held on to the lead until the 89th minute, when Hakan Ilhan took a shot from 10 yards that skimmed the bottom of the crossbar and found the net, knotting the score at 1-1.

The overtime periods continued the same way regulation did, with both teams launching shots but failing to score. Helmick made one save in the first overtime and two more in the second to preserve the tie for the Lancers.

UNCG outshot Longwood 16-9 while the Lancers had a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks. Helmick made seven saves for the Lancers. Peyton Ford played in goal for the Spartans and made three saves and allowed one goal.