HARRISONBURG, Va. – Sophomore
Sami Seife netted the game-winning goal in the 89th minute to send the No. 13 Washington and Lee men's soccer team to its sixth straight win, 2-1, over Eastern Mennonite on Saturday evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After an errant pass, senior Matthew Jenkins took possession of the ball and pushed forward, before sending a pass up field and into the box for first-year Rowan Sellers. Sellers then centered the ball where the Royals (3-6, 0-1 ODAC) committed a foul to grant the Generals (6-1, 1-0 ODAC) a penalty kick.
- With just 1:32 on the clock, Seife stepped up for the penalty and slotted it between the left post and the outstretched reach of EMU keeper Dennis Villalta.
- The Generals took an initial 1-0 lead in the 35th minute. Senior Spencer Furman launched a crossing pass from midfield up to senior Taha Kaba. Kaba used his chest to control the ball, took one more touch to his left and then scored inside the left post.
- The Royals equalized in the 69th minute thanks to David Arroyo, who stayed with the play after heading down a cross. His header was stopped by a W&L defender, but Arroyo then took aim at goal and found the back of the net.
TOP PERFORMERS:
- Seife's winner was his second goal of the season and second game-winning goal of the year as well. Kaba tallied his first score of the year and Furman notched his first assist.
- Jenkins and Sellers led the Generals in shot attempts (3), and they combined for three shots on goal.
- Arroyo and David Hernandez both had two shots to pace the EMU offense, with three shots on goal combined.
- Junior Miles Furman made two saves in 90 minutes for the Generals, while Villalta stopped four shots.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- The Generals posted a win in their ODAC opener for the sixth consecutive season. The last time they lost their first conference game in a season came back in 2014 (11-0-1 since).
- W&L also extended its winning streak against the Royals to 13 games, a run in which the Generals have allowed only two goals total.
TEAM STATS:
- The Generals finished with a 14-6 advantage in total shots, which included an 8-2 margin in the second half. Both teams put half of their shot attempts on goal.
- W&L took two corner kicks in both halves and conceded one corner kick in each frame.
UP NEXT:
The Generals will return to the pitch on Wednesday night when they travel to Hampden-Sydney for a 7:00 p.m. start.
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.
