Quintino Lema and his University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) Men’s Soccer teammates picked up its first home win of the season and improved to 2-1-0 on the year as they rolled past Longwood 3-1 at the UNCG Soccer Stadium in non-conference play.
UNCG had the game’s first real chance in the 12th minute of action as Longwood were whistled for a foul at the top of the 18-yard box. Freshman midfielder Leeroy Maguraushe stepped up and ripped a bending shot that Longwood goalkeeper Carl Carpenter was able to push over the cross bar.
UNCG opened the scoring in the 19th minute of play as scored off a nice combination starting from the back. Junior defender Nicholas Downs made a run down the left-hand side and sent a ball to the top of the 18-yard box to forward Jacques Francois. Francois possessed the ball and dropped it off to Downs who continued his run. Downs took his first touch and ripped a shot into the bottom corner past Carpenter for the 1-0 lead.
Longwood came back and tied the game at 1-1 in the 32nd minute of play. Willy Miezan came off the bench and instantly provided a spark. He took a long ball at the top of the 18-yard box and beat two UNCG defenders before finding the bottom corner. The goal was his fourth in the last two games as he opened the year with a hat trick against VMI.
UNCG retook the lead in the 42nd minute of action as the speed of Matt Mattis drew a corner kick. Redshirt junior Christopher Reingen sent the corner kick to the back post. Redshirt junior Corey Croegaert headed the ball from the back post back the front post where junior Damieon Thomas beat the defender to the ball and poked it into the back of the net for his first career goal as a Spartan.
UNCG extended its lead to 3-1 in the 58th minute of action. Senior Ben Burdon made a run through the midfield and sent a long ball down the right-hand side. Defender Lema took his first touch and ripped a cross into the six-yard box. Francois was there on the end to power the cross into the back of the net for his first goal of the season and the two-goal cushion.
Longwood had a strong chance in the 67th minute of action to cut into the deficit. Chad Kozoyed found himself in space from 8-yards out after a cross and ripped header towards goal, but Rohde was there to make the save. Rohde sealed the victory in the 89th minute of action as he stoned Sam Yardley from 12-yards out on a shot to preserve the two-goal lead.
Rohde finished with three saves in the victory while Carpenter picked up just one save. Eight different Spartans recorded shots in the victory as UNCG improves to 9-1-2 all-time against the Lancers, including 4-1-2 since 2009.
