FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood defender
Ryan Fleming picked the perfect time to score his first career goal.
Fleming's 30-yard right-footed rocket in the 78th minute proved to be the difference, as the Lancers earned a 2-0 shutout win over Gardner-Webb Saturday night at the Longwood Athletics Complex.
The goal from Fleming came after Longwood came out of a scoreless first half and dominated the Runnin' Bulldogs in the second 45 minutes, to finish with a 16-10 shot advantage. Prior to the go-ahead marker, the Lancers attack outnumbered Gardner-Webb with six chances to three.
"My first touch took me towards the goal and I had quite a bit of space," Fleming said. "When I looked up, I saw the keeper pretty far off his line, so I decided to go for it and it worked out well."
The win moves Longwood (4-9-0, 2-2-0 Big South) into a three-way tie with teams that have collected six points in conference, just one win behind second-place Presbyterian. Gardner-Webb (3-7-1, 3-2-0 Big South) has its two-game win streak snapped, falling to fourth overall in the Big South standings.
"It was a massive win for the program," said Longwood head coach
Jon Atkinson. "We marked tonight as a must-win game to get our season going and I thought the boys responded really well."
Fleming played a season-high 90 minute in his left back position, as he has strung together three straight performances with 70-plus minutes and five such performances on the season.
"It was a capable run," Atkinson said. "I was getting a little worried with the time remaining where the goal was going to come from. Even though we were in control, it was still a nil-nil game. Ryan exploding the way he did was a shot in the arm that our team needed."
Longwood was forced to overcome a five-shot effort from Gardner-Webb midfielder Jack Hoey, who played all 90 minutes for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Jeremy Jaquier handed the Lancers an insurance goal in the 86th minute, collecting a pass from
Mikel Abando before dribbling to the middle of the box and beating Gardner-Webb goalkeeper Daniel Husa to the left post.
Jaquier was one of three Lancers to record three or more shots, as
Willy Miezan finished with a team-high four shots with two on target. Jaquier and center back
Dan Ahrens also had three shots, with nine different Lancers finishing with at least one shot.
Jacob Reimers and the Longwood backline – Fleming, Ahrens,
Sherif Maalouf and
Jonas Kalchner – limited Gardner-Webb to 10 shots in the game with the Runnin' Bulldogs forcing Reimers into just one save.
"I didn't have much to do and I think that's a credit to the backline and the midfield," Reimers said. "The back four worked hard all day. Ideally, as a goalkeeper, you don't want much to do and tonight I thought they were awesome."
Longwood plays the final game in a stretch of three straight at the Athletics Complex Tuesday, Oct. 16, as the Lancers host Big South newcomer USC Upstate. The opening kickoff is set for 6 p.m. with the game set to air on ESPN+.
"Hopefully, the boys have a bit of an appetite now after getting a win at home," Atkinson said. "We need to get our guys rested and we have a few days to recover on the back of a good win tonight."
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