UNCP ties Lees-McRae on road, loses home opener to Queens
By Dan Kelly
Sports Editor
UNCP tied its first road match of the year against the Lees-McRae Bobcats 1-1.
On Aug. 25, the Braves lost its season opener at home against the Queens University Royals 3-0 in another non-conference match.
At Lees-McRae
The Braves were able to preserve the 1-1 tie in the 70th minute with a penalty kick goal by midfielder Miguel Ferrer.
Kyle McGimsey scored the only goal for the Bobcats exactly eight minutes into the game with an assist from Berin Boracic.
The Braves’ goalkeeper Richard Sallin and the Bobcats’ Dylan Lawrence had 10 saves that kept the scoring output as low as it was.
 Photo by Dan Kelly |
Home Opener vs. Queens
All of the goals came in the second half and two of those in the last six minutes of the game.
The ultimately decisive goal came in the 67th minute of the game off of a long-range, looping shot from Queens’ defender Neal Woodworth.
The shot left Braves’ keeper Richard Sallin scrambling for position when it ended up in the top-right corner of the goal.
“He (Sallin) was off his line, and I don’t think he read it real well,” said head coach Mike Schaffer.
Queens’ midfielder David Palma then scored off a rebound of his own penalty kick in the 85th minute.
Turning Point
A foul committed by Braves’ midfielder Max Aust led to the penalty kick chance.
' The Royals then capped their scoring in the 86th minute off of a header by Queens’ midfielder Kevin O’Donnell with the corner-kick assist going to Matt Herbstritt.
Despite the loss, Schaffer said that the team did play better than in its scrimmage against Pfeiffer, where the Braves tied at 1-1.
“Until the end of the game, we stayed pretty well organized defensively,” Schaffer said.
Offensive Stuggle
The Braves offense, though, was only able to place three shots on goal the entire match and is an area of focus for Schaffer.
“We’re gonna have to find our way offensively,” Schaffer said.
Those offensive difficulties were reflected in the first half where the Braves’ only chance was bounced off the post by midfielder Florian Eissen.
The neutral play of the first half forced each goalkeeper to make a one save each.
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The print edition of The Pine Needle is published 14 times a year during the fall and spring semesters. Updated: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 © The University of North Carolina at Pembroke |
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