Defense Shines But Men's Soccer Edged By No. 24 UNCW, 1-0

Saturday, October 1

Vidas Field

4:00

Drexel University

1-7-2, 0-3-0

No. 24 UNCW

6-1-1, 1-0-1

UNCW

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Defense Shines But Men's Soccer Edged By No. 24 UNCW, 1-0

10/1/2016 6:05:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel men's soccer team could not have asked for much more out of its defense, particularly senior goalkeeper Tyler Afflerbach, as they held No. 24 UNCW without a goal in the course of play, but a penalty kick score in the 72nd minute allowed the Seahawks to escape Vidas Field with a 1-0 victory over the Dragons. Drexel was outshot 17-3 on the afternoon, but Afflerbach came up with five saves, including three particularly impressive stops that kept the high-powered Seahawks off the board until that penalty goal.

Julio Moncada converted the penalty opportunity just moments after a UNCW goal was disallowed due to an offsides call. Armin Efendic and Colin McGlynn put a pair of shots on target for the Dragons, but neither could find the back of the net. Perhaps their best look of the evening came from Aaron Thompson, whose redirection shot sailed just over the crossbar in the 85th minute.

The Seahawks controlled possession for the majority of the action on Saturday, but Drexel's defense did a good job preventing them from getting many clean looks at the net. They did get off a few, however, and Afflerbach was there with an answer every time. In the first half, UNCW's Stian Sandbekkhaug had a breakaway opportunity stonewalled by Afflerbach when his low shot was deflected away by the senior keeper, who had come far out of the goalmouth to play the ball. The Seahawks outshot Drexel 8-1 in the first half, but that was by far the best opportunity they had before halftime.

After intermisison, UNCW once again had an excellent opportunity to get on the board denied by Afflerbach. In the 64th minute, Joel Bylander geared up and ripped a shot from just a few yards out that Afflerbach, playing only five feet from Bylander, was able to reflexively knock away. It went right to UNCW's Mark Lindstrom, though, but despite his quick shot the Drexel goalkeeper was able to handle that opportunity as well. A third look from Phillip Goodrum a few seconds later sailed high and ended the frenetic Seahawks attack.

It appeared that the Seahawks had broken the ice early in the 72nd minute when Sandbekkhaug fired low and beat Afflerbach to the near post, but the goal was disallowed due to an offsides call. Less than a minute later, though, UNCW brought the ball back into the box where the Seahawks were able to draw a Drexel penalty. This time, Moncada finished the deal and scored to put the Seahawks on top.

Drexel was able to mount some pressure in the final minutes. The best look came when Carlos Cuevas took a shot from just outside the box that was drifting wide, but Aaron Thompson's redirection nearly knotted the game back up. It floated just over the crossbar, however, and the Dragons remained scoreless for a fifth-consecutive game.

The Dragons will now embark on a three-game road stretch beginning on Tuesday night when they visit Columbia in Manhattan. That game will begin at 7:00 p.m. Drexel will next be at Vidas Field on Oct. 15 when the Dragons host Elon at 4:00 p.m.