ROCK HILL, S.C. – Winthrop withstood a late Longwood rally and rode a game-winning goal from Max Hasenstab to a 3-2 win over the Lancers Saturday afternoon at Eagle Field. The win was Winthrop's fifth in a row and kept the Eagles (8-2-0, 2-0-0 Big South) atop the Big South standings.
 
Hasenstab scored Winthrop's first two goals of the game, while teammate Pol Sole chipped in an assist and an unassisted goal of his own three minutes into the second half. Longwood cut the deficit back to one goal on a 72nd-minute score from Nnamdi Ikeazor but missed two more scoring opportunities before the final horn.
 
"It has been a tough start to the season, but we have played good competition and Winthrop was no exception," Longwood head coach Jon Atkinson said. "This game demonstrated a lot of how our season has been to date…some smart, intelligent play with a gameplan to suppress certain strengths of the opposition, but littered with errors and decision-making that erodes the positives and makes it hard to put a full 90 minutes together."
 
Longwood (1-6-1, 0-1-0 Big South) flashed its offensive capabilities in the 39th minute when freshman Marten Pajunurm hooked up with senior Jonathan Kukapa for the Lancers' first goal of the game. However, Winthrop would counter less than two minutes later when Hasenstab scored his second goal to put the Eagles ahead 2-1.
 
"Our first half, we weren't at the races and lost the midfield, but we clawed back and showed we can compete once we get performances from the majority," Atkinson said. "I firmly believe we have a lot more to come from our lads and could mount a serious run, but we will have to grind out a result or two to increase that belief since a few decisions have been going against us as of late."
 
The Lancers surrendered another goal just 3:57 into the second half, but locked up their net the rest of the day. Despite falling into a 3-1 hole, Longwood kept the pressure on and finally broke through in the 72nd minute when Nnamdi Ikeazor stuck one in from 10 yards out on a cross from freshman Jonathan Majin. It was the first career assist for Majin, who cracked the starting lineup three games ago and has played over 60 minutes in each of those contests.
 
The Lancers created two more opportunities for themselves in front of the Winthrop net but failed to get a shot off before the final horn. The loss is Longwood's third by one goal this season, including this past Tuesday's overtime loss to George Washington. The Lancers will get a chance to right the ship Wednesday in a home matchup against Radford. The game will air on the Big South Network.

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