Upstate Falls in Shocker at Wofford

October 31, 2014

Spartanburg, S.C. – After holding a 2-0 lead with 10 minutes to play in regulation, USC Upstate dropped a shocker, 3-2, at Wofford in non-conference men's soccer action Wednesday night at Snyder Field.

Upstate fell to 2-4-1 on the year with the loss and will return home to play host to Appalachian State Saturday night at 7 in the Spartans' final non-conference game of the season. Wofford improved to 3-3-0.

A hard-fought game for 80 minutes turned unorthodox in the final 10 minutes with two red cards issued to Upstate and a penalty kick deciding the outcome.

"In all of my years of soccer, I think this is the most unusual game I have ever been a part of," said Upstate head coach Greg Hooks. "I thought we played much better in the second half, but we lost our composure when things started to turn and I thought that was the difference in the game."

Although the teams battled hard and came up with scoring opportunities in the first half, Upstate and Wofford battled to a scoreless tie at halftime. Wofford led in shots, 13-4, with the Terriers owning a 7-2 lead in shots on goal.

Upstate had a pair of scoring opportunities in the first half, both saved by Wofford keeper Garrett Closs. Marvin Schmiege had the first opportunity in the 13^th minute, while Joe Brinckwirth had a solid opportunity in the 25^th minute. Wofford's best opportunity came late in the half when Nick Orton took a shot from 13 yards out which Spartan keeper Hassan Haddad corralled with a diving save to keep the Terriers off the board and the game tied. Haddad finished the half with seven saves.

While Wofford dictated the pace of play and owned the lead in possession in the first half, Upstate controlled the second half of play in the first 30 minutes. Brinckwirth nearly put the Spartans on the board in the 50^th minute, but his placed shot went just wide of the goal.

The relentless Upstate pressure paid off in the 65^th minute. After the Terriers were dispossessed in the midfield, Brinckwirth was played a ball from the back. He got by his defender and played a cross to Leon Schwarzer who chipped a shot by Closs for a goal and a 1-0 Spartan lead.

Schwarzer repaid the help he received on his goal five minutes later. He played a cross into the box where Rinaldi Alphonse put a shot away into the left side of the goal to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead in the 70^th minute, capping a five-minute offensive flurry.

With the game heading into the final 10 minutes of the game, Upstate looked to be in control. However, after the Spartans were called for a foul just outside the box, Nestor Jaramillo took the free kick and his shot made it through the wall low to the ground and into the left side of the goal to get Wofford within 2-1.

Following the goal, Haddad was issued a red card, putting Upstate a man down and without its starter who had turned in a tremendous performance in the game. Less than a minute later, Will Puckett stole a pass from an Upstate defender and put a shot into the net to tie the game.

With Wofford pressing and using its advantage of playing 11-on-10, Wofford's Matthew Aurednik got by new Upstate keeper Jack Rubin on the left side of the box and took a shot. Upstate's Tucker Beerman had retreated back to the goal line and dove to try to head the ball away. However, he also got a piece of the ball with his hand and Wofford was granted a penalty kick, while Beerman was issued a red card for the hand ball. Forrest Lasso took the penalty kick and found the back of the net to give the Spartans a 3-2 lead and the game.

Wofford finished the game with a 25-10 lead in shots. Haddad finished with eight saves on the night in an impressive effort.

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