RADFORD, Va. – The top offense in the Big South Conference was on full display Wednesday night, as Radford tallied four first half goals en route to a 5-1 victory over visiting Longwood at Cupp Stadium.
The Highlanders, who have tallied a league-best 24 goals this season, matched their season-high of five goals in the game. Of the five goals, three were scored by Radford (8-1-1; 3-0-0 BSC) freshmen and the four goals in the first half were the most the Highlanders have posted in a single half this season.
Coming into the game riding a two-game win streak with wins at Campbell and home against Portland, Longwood (5-4-0; 1-1-0 BSC) saw that streak snapped. In addition, the five goals given up to an advantageous Radford attack are the most goals the Lancers have allowed in a game this season.
"It is a tough result to swallow, but we brought it upon ourselves after a bright opening," said Longwood head coach
Jon Atkinson. "We had a couple of chances early and could've been up, but credit goes to Radford. They are well coached and have good energy. That makes them a tough opponent to break down."
Longwood had three early chances in the game and outshot the Highlanders by a 3-1 margin in the opening six minutes, but was unable to convert. Senior
Zach Crandall had a couple of opportunities, but had a shot go wide of the mark and another one that was saved by Radford's Aitor Pouseu Blanco. Longwood's third chance came when redshirt-freshman
Willy Miezan rifled a shot wide of the target.
The Radford goalkeeping tandem of Pouseu Blanco and Nicolas Mertzokat combined to make five saves on 11 Longwood shots in the game. For Longwood, senior
Carl Carpenter made two first half saves, before giving way to
Carlos Canas in the 59th minute of play.
Sivert Daehlie – who along with Miezan ranks among the top-five in scoring among freshman in the Big South – tallied the game's first goal of the game in the 10th minute on a shot inside the box on a play off a cross by Evan Szklennik.
A Jamie Summers goal in the 22nd minute increased the Radford lead to 2-0. Summers deflected a corner kick from just inside the six-yard box past Longwood goalkeeper
Carl Carpenter into the top of the net for his fifth goal of the season.
A pair of goals just 4:51 apart gave Radford a 4-0 advantage heading into the locker room. Tiedemann tallied his fourth goal of the season in the 37th minute, before Taylor Martin headed a ball inside the left post to in the 44th minute of the contest.
Like they did in the first half, the Radford attack came out firing to start the second period with Tiedemann scoring his second goal of the night just a mere 12 seconds into the period.
Finnlay Wyatt provided Longwood's lone tally of the night to end the shutout bid, as he rifled a shot from the top left edge of the 18-yard box past Radford goalkeeper Nicolas Mertzokat.
Longwood looks to rebound Saturday, Oct. 10, as the squad welcomes High Point to the Athletics Complex. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
#GoWood
