WILMINGTON, N.C. – The William & Mary men's soccer team earned a valuable road point with a 1-1 draw at UNCW on Saturday night. After the Seahawks jumped on the board in the game's opening four minutes, sophomore
Ryder Bell found the equalizer midway through the first half to cap the scoring. W&M moved to 5-3-1 overall and 0-1-1 in CAA play, while UNCW, which upset No. 5 Charlotte in Wilmington on Tuesday night, sits at 5-1-1 following the tie in its CAA opener.
"We were not at our best tonight, but we scrambled well defensively and fought hard," head coach
Chris Norris said. "UNCW is a very good team. They asked a lot of questions of us, and we had enough answers to earn a tough point on the road."
The Seahawks took an early lead thanks to a Tribe miscue just 3:09 into the contest. UNCW's Kalvin Kromer sent a cross from the left wing into the penalty area. The service just missed the foot of a Seahawk forward, but deflected off a Tribe defender and into the lower right side of the net. The own goal gave the host a 1-0 cushion.
The Tribe pulled even in the 24th minute, cashing in a set piece opportunity. Sophomore
Marcel Berry drew a foul along the left side of the 18-yard box after being taken down by a UNCW defender while trying to reach the end line. Sophomore midfielder
Antonio Bustamante took the free kick and served the ball into the middle of the area. Bell was the first one there and flicked a header just over the UNCW goalkeeper into the right side of the net from seven yards out. The marker was Bell's third of the season and Bustamante's second assist.
W&M had another opportunity to take the lead on a free kick with just over 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. The Tribe played a long ball over the top and freshman forward
Reeves Trott was clipped just outside the 18 to draw a foul. Bustamante took the free kick chance, but lifted it high of the top left corner of the goal. W&M outshot the Seahawks, 4-3, in the opening 45 minutes.
Junior goalkeeper
Phil Breno came up with a big save in the 60th minute to keep the game tied. UNCW's Huntley Munn hit a bending shot from just outside the left side of the 18-yard box, but Breno smothered the chance as it came back toward the near left post.
The Tribe just missed its second goal in the 64th minute. Bell found space along the right side of the area off a free kick from Bustamante. He sent a pass toward the near post where junior
William Eskay got a foot to it, but UNCW goalkeeper Ryan Creten made the reflex save.
Breno made a pair of saves in the final 10 minutes of regulation to game the game knotted at one. The bigger of the two came with just over four minutes remaining as the Tribe goalkeeper denied Phillips Goodrum's hard shot to the right post from 15 yards out.
The Seahawks had the only scoring chance of the first overtime period just over a minute into the extra frame. Off a free kick from 20 yards on the right side, UNCW's Julio Moncada headed down the service to the center of the goalmouth, but Breno was there to smother it.
W&M attempted the only shot in the second 10-minute OT period. In the closing seconds of the contest, the ball was lofted over the top of the UNCW defense looking for the head of Eskay. Cretens came off his line and knocked it away. The ball fell to the foot of Bell, but his half volley attempt went high from 18 yards out.
UNCW outshot the Tribe, 14-7, for the game and held an 8-4 advantage in corner kicks. Bell led the Tribe with three shots, while Eskay placed both his attempts on frame. Breno finished the night with six saves in goal, while Cretens had two for the Seahawks.
The Tribe returns home on Wednesday, Sept. 28, to host instate rival James Madison. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. from Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field.
