LEXINGTON, Va. – Two goals in an 80-second span in the second half, plus lockdown defense late propelled the Washington and Lee men's soccer team to a 2-1 win at home on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Following a scoreless first half in which the Generals (3-3) came up just short on some promising offensive opportunities, the team nearly replicated its efforts from the previous game against Oglethorpe with two quick goals early in the second half. Senior
Weyimi Agbeyegbe netted the first goal after he rebounded a saved shot by first-year
Ryan Sharpe in the 53rd minute.
Just 80 seconds later, Agbeyegbe tried his luck on a bicycle-kick shot from around the penalty spot. His shot was also saved, but senior
Lucas Pleasants sprinted in and fired the rebound into the back of the net for the 2-0 lead.
The Tornados (1-2-1) got one goal back in the 62nd minute to make it a 2-1 game, when Ryan Lynch slipped one past W&L keeper
Will Joseph. Lynch received a long, diagonal cross on the right side from the left from Estevan Berto, and Lynch hit a right-footed attempt inside the left post.
Both teams got two shots off apiece over the next 14 minutes, but Brevard gained an advantage for the final 15 minutes when the Generals were forced to play a man down following a red card. The Tornados managed four more shots in that time, but three missed the target and Joseph stopped an additional attempt, as the Generals held on for the win.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Agbeyegbe accounted for both W&L goals on the day, scoring the first and assisting on the second. Pleasants' goal was his second of the season, while Sharpe picked up his first assist of the year. Agebeyegbe and Pleasants both took four shots to lead the offense, while Joseph covered all 90 minutes in goal and made three saves.
Lynch's goal came on one of his team-high four shots, and he finished with three attempts on goal. Berto had an assist and three total shots, and goalkeeper Matheus Rossi stopped five shots in the 90 minutes of play.
NOTEWORTHY POINTS:
Agbeyegbe's goal was his third of the season and 37th of his career, which moved him out of a tie and into sole possession of fourth place on the program's all-time goals list. Next up is Scott Fechnay '69 with 40 goals.
With his assist, Agebeyegbe's three-point game boosted his career total to 93, leaving him one short of tying Dylan Ritch '19 for third place in program history.
TEAM STATS:
W&L ended the game with a 15-11 advantage in total shots after a 7-3 margin in the first half preceded both teams taking eight shots in the second half. Corner kicks also favored the Blue and White by a 5-1 final mark.
UP NEXT:
The Generals will have nine days off from gameplay before they return home on Wednesday night, September 25, to host Bridgewater at 7:00 p.m. in their 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.
