FARMVILLE, Va. – Junior Anthony Ugorji/Washington, D.C. put a header on goal in the 79th minute to secure a 1-0 victory for the Longwood University men’s soccer team against Big South Conference opponent Presbyterian College (3-13-0, 1-7-0) on Saturday afternoon at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. Junior Daena Bodie/Guernsey, England served up the cross to Ugorji for the goal, marking his second assist on the season. Longwood (7-6-3, 1-7-0) kicks off the final week of the regular season at Appalachian State University for the squad’s non-conference finale on Tuesday, November 5 beginning at 7 p.m.

“We are delighted to get the win,” said head coach Jon Atkinson. “At this stage in the season, it’s all about substance over style. I don’t think we played our best today, but we got the goal finally and held on against a very spirited Presbyterian team.”

Longwood took a 5-0 shot advantage in the first half, although the game was confined to the middle of the field in the early minutes of play. Longwood’s first chance of the day came on a set piece, as sophomore Mike Durr/Brandon, Miss. sent a header back into the box to Ugorji, who fired a bicycle kick high over the net. After almost 20 minutes of back-and-forth action, sophomore Philip van Berkom/Zetten, the Netherlands broke the silence when he launched an attempt from 25 yards out that sailed high. The Lancers earned another corner kick in the 27th minute, allowing Durr to send a powerful header wide left. On the team’s next possession, freshman Michael Margulis/Ashburn gained control of the ball and skidded a shot on target, but it was saved by PC’s diving keeper, Tyler Beadle. The final attempt of the half came in the 35th minute, as Ugorji wound up in the box, but the ball was blocked by a defender right off his foot, sending the teams into the break knotted at 0-0.

The Lancers came close to breaking the game open early in the second half, as freshman Nnamdi Ikeazor/Lagos, Nigeria knocked a header from the right side of net that was blocked. PC earned a free kick and posted its first shot of the day when Ian Dempsey put a header of his own on target, but freshman Carlos Canas/Manassas made the save. The Lancers regained possession and took the ball into their offensive end before sophomore Will Lambert/Charlottesville sent a slow dribbler wide left of the net. Dempsey pressured once again for the Blue Hose, this time taking a shot from the top of the box that was knocked away by Canas. Longwood retaliated when van Berkom collected a rebound and booted a liner from 20 yards out, but it was stopped by Beadle in 57th minute. Minutes later, freshman Jonathan Majin/Lagos, Nigeria set up a breakaway by Ugorji, who got around the last defender before sending a shot that missed just barely right. The game-winner came in the 79th minute, as Longwood took advantage of a corner kick. Freshman Vaughn Fowler/Chester inserted on the set piece to Bodie, whose cross from the left side of box found Ugorji on right post for a header on goal to seal the 1-0 victory.

“For us as a team, that was a really tough game,” said Bodie. “We dominated a lot, but never really got through. We’ve been strong on set pieces this year. The ball in on the play was great. I pulled away to the back because I knew I wasn’t going to get to it. I found myself in some space and I knew the only thing to do was knock it back across. We were pressuring them the whole game, and through perseverance we managed to score late. I’m grateful that Anthony was on the end of the cross because he’s had a great season. This puts us on the road to a better spot in the Big South Tournament.”

Longwood outshot Presbyterian, 10-3, in the outing. Canas notched a pair of saves to improve to 6-5-2 this year. Saturday’s match marked just the fourth meeting ever between Longwood and Presbyterian in the sport of men’s soccer. The all-time series is now tied, 2-2. 

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