NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 2, Asbury 1
Records: Piedmont, 5-5 (1-2); Asbury 6-3-2, (0-1-2 )
DEMOREST, Ga. -The Piedmont men's soccer squad picked up a gritty, hard-fought victory against conference foe Asbury on Saturday, battling them down to the line for a 2-1 finish.
In a scenario where the team needed some early fire, the front end of their attack was able to provide. Davis Knight, Colin Vogel, and Mason Keith all had extreme pressure in the box in the first half, utilizing their speed to their advantage as they looked for holes in the Eagles' defense. The three-headed attack worked for Piedmont in the twelfth as they were able to put the game's first score in the back of the net thanks to Mason Keith. Keith, with help from Davis Knight, drove into the box and forced the Asbury keeper to try and make a last-second save. While the keeper was able to slow the momentum of Keith, the Lions' attacker was able to put enough force on the touch for the ball to roll past the line and give Piedmont a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Asbury tried to push hard against the Lions' defense in the first half, but the midfield and the back line were strong for Piedmont, only allowing four shots in the first half and forcing Piedmont keeper Bobby Wood into just one save chance.
Piedmont would strike next in the 41st minute when, after a beautiful midfield transition, Colin Vogel would direct a pass in the path of Muhammed Alsuweydi as the fellow senior put enough power on the shot to fly through a deflection by the Eagle keeper. It would be the second goal of the afternoon for the Lions and for Alsuweydi, a first in his career.
The Lions would enter halftime up 2-0 against the conference foe after a very fast and hard-fought half, setting up for an exciting and intense finish.
With Asbury spending much of the first half in their own territory, they looked to flip the script in the second, and they would succeed. Piedmont would have to flex their defensive muscles as the Eagle attack would press heavy on the back line, but with strong performances from
Nathan Jacome and
Delroy Mattis, the Eagles were stifled for the first minutes.
Asbury would break through after a corner kick opportunity that flew low and found the foot of Jon Gordon after a deflection in the box as the Asbury attacker buried the ball in the upper left corner, cutting the deficit in half. The Eagles would look to press even further as they spent the second half in Lions' territory, accumulating nine shots within the half.
Both sides would compete and trade fouls throughout, but neither could get the right chance to truly put the game away, leading to Asbury's final attack with two minutes on the clock.
The Eagles would get a pass in the box and put one past
Bobby Wood, but not before the official raised his flag to call him offside. The Eagles would not be able to find another opportunity with little time on the clock, and the Lions would come away with a tenacious win.
Piedmont ended their three-game losing streak and picked up their first conference win in dramatic fashion, and they will look to build off the momentum heading deeper into conference play. The men's soccer team will be back in action on Wednesday, Oct. the 8th, when they travel to LaGrange to do battle with the Panthers at 7:00 p.m.
TURNING POINT:
-
Mohammed Alsuweydi's game-winning goal in the final five minutes of the first half.
- A crucial offside call against the Eagles denied a last-minute goal.
NEWS AND NOTES:
-
Mohammed Alsuweydi scored his first collegiate goal.
- Piedmont snaps a three-game losing streak.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
- To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont University Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on
X @PiedmontLions,
Instagram: @PiedmontLions, and
Facebook.
Print Friendly Version
