WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – William & Mary men's soccer scored less than a minute into Saturday night's Colonial Athletic Association opener at Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field. UNCW, which was picked second in the preseason league standings and advanced to the 2018 NCAA Tournament, answered with the equalizer with just over a minute remaining in regulation and the teams played to a 1-1 draw in the league lid-lifter.
 
It took the Green and Gold (0-2-2, 0-0-1 CAA) just 35 seconds to break the ice against the Seahawks (2-2-1, 0-0-1 CAA) as freshman Alexander Levengood tallied his second marker of the season. Trott did a nice job to settle a long ball in the attacking third and he found freshman Diba Nwegbo at the top of the 18. The rookie striker turned and fed a beautiful through ball to Levengood, who finished inside the near post from eight yards out.
 
The Tribe narrowly missed doubling the lead in the 59th minute, but Nwegbo's attempted hit off the post and was cleared off the goal line. Sophomore James Bradley played the ball to Nwegbo in the left side of the box. The freshman forward cut back toward center and shot toward the far post. It hit the woodwork and was cleared off the line as it bounded back toward the goal. Levengood's rebound shot was deflected out for a corner.
 
The UNCW pressure built to the equalizer in the 89th minute. Gabe Mercer made a run into the box, gathering the ball deflected into his path and sent a cross to the backside of the penalty area. Preseason CAA Player of the Year Phillip Goodrum was waiting, and he finished into the left side of the frame from eight yards out.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Kieran Baskett was once again big in goal for the Tribe, registering a career-high 11 saves, including a trio of stops in the second overtime period. The 11 blocks were the most in the CAA since 2016 and the seventh most in the country this season.
 
W&M - #22 Baskett (GK), #3 Bozalongo, #4 Bradley, #5 Golan, #9 Nwegbo, #13 Shane, #15 Levengood, #17 Ascota, #19 Villeda, #21 Trott, #24 Ngoh
 
UNCW - #1 Perrotta (GK) #2 Lindstrom, #7 Anderson, #9 Cabral, #10 Goodrum, #12 Nilsson, #14 Graham, #16 Evans, #17 Mercer, #18 Saez, #25 Reynolds
 
Scoring Summary
1' |  W&M – Alexander Levengood (Reeves Trott/Diba Nwegbo)
89' | UNCW – Phillip Goodrum (Gabe Mercer)
 
Inside the Numbers
- UNCW outshot the Tribe, 18-8, including putting 12 on frame.
- W&M finished with an 8-7 advantage in corner kicks with four in the second half and two in the second OT period.
- It was a physical game with the teams combining for 37 fouls (UNCW 23, W&M 14) and five yellow cards (W&M 3, UNCW 2).
- The Seahawks held a 53% to 47% advantage in possession.
- Freshman Alexander Levengood led W&M with four shots.
 
Notes
The first-minute goal was the second of Alexander Levengood's career and his first at home … Freshman Diba Nwegbo notched his first career point on the assist … Senior Reeves Trott notched his sixth career assist and first point of the season … Freshman goalkeeper Kieran Baskett finished with a career-high 11 saves … It marked the most saves in the CAA since 2016 and the seventh most in the country this season … W&M's school record is 16, which was set three times in 1971 … For the second-straight game, the Tribe started five freshmen (Levengood, Nwegbo, Baskett, Marcos Villeda and Alfredo Bozalongo).

Up Next
- The Tribe heads to the City of Brotherly Love for its first of two straight in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 17, against Saint Joseph's at 7 p.m.
- W&M returns to CAA play and Philadelphia on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Drexel.