BREVARD, N.C. – Junior
Will Luik had a hand in two first-half goals, with sophomore
Matteo Adler scoring a second-half go-ahead goal, as the Washington and Lee men's soccer team walked away from Brevard College with a 3-2 win on Sunday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Tornadoes (1-3-1) took an initial 1-0 lead in the 21st minute when Sam O'Callaghan scored from the right side of the box after a pass from Colin McCabe came from the top of the box. W&L (2-1-3), however, responded with two goals in a 40-second span late in the half to flip the lead.
In the 44th minute, Luik took a corner kick that was played short, and he sent a low pass into the box. The ball managed to find its way through a crowd of Generals and Tornadoes to junior
PJ Ryan on the back post. Ryan controlled the ball and found the back of the net before the Brevard keeper could get to the back post.
Luik then took matters into his own hands 40 seconds later, as he gathered the ball up the right side and made his way up field. Just a couple yards away from the endline, and still outside the goal box, Luik sent an attempt across that sailed through the top-left corner of the frame for the 2-1 lead.
Brevard managed to equalize in the 70th minute on a set piece. A free kick was given to the Tornadoes around midfield following a foul, and the ball was sent into the box. O'Callaghan got his foot to the ball and put a shot on target, but W&L sophomore
Will Joseph was there for the save. With the ball loose in the box, Rocco Barbon came in and put the ball into the goal off the rebound.
The Generals were quick to regain the lead as just three minutes later, W&L was awarded a penalty kick after a Brevard foul in the box. Adler was chosen to take the chance, and he buried his shot to the left side of the frame.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Adler's penalty-kick goal in the 73rd minute was his first of the season and his second career game-winning goal. Luik's score in the 45th minute was the first of his career, while his helper on Ryan's goal was his first of the season. Ryan's tally in the 44th minute marked his fourth career goal, while first-year
Taha Kaba was credited with his first collegiate assist on Ryan's goal.
O'Callaghan and Barbon both scored once and took two shots on the day, and O'Callaghan logged an assist on Barbon's 70th-minute equalizer.
NOTES OF IMPORTANCE:
After a stagnant offensive start to the season, the W&L attack has found its groove over the last three games. With three goals in each of the last three contests, the Generals have the first such three-game streak since a late September, early October run during the 2021 season which featured consecutive wins of 8-2, 3-1 and 5-1. Further, its the first three-game stretch with three or more goals scored in nonconference play since 3-2, 4-1 and 3-1 wins against SUNY Oneonta, Southern Virginia and Ohio Wesleyan, respectively, from September 4-10, 2016.
Today's matchup marked the second all-time meeting between W&L and Brevard, with both coming within the last 365 days. The previous matchup came in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, which the Generals claimed on the home pitch, 5-1.
UP NEXT:
The Generals will return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Virginia Wesleyan for a 6:00 p.m. start, in what will be both teams' first ODAC contest of the season.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
