LEXINGTON, Va.- Freshman midfielder Brian Harding headed in the game-winning goal after assisting on VMI's first goal of the day as the Keydets remained unbeaten at home with a 2-1 win over USC Upstate on Sunday afternoon at Patchin Field. With the win, the Keydets improve to 2-2-1 overall, while the Spartans fall to 0-4 on the season.
VMI broke open the game's scoring in the 15th minute, when Harding (Charlotte, N.C./Butler) found junior forward Wythe Horbal (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox) with a cross from the left flank that Horbal headed home for his second goal of the season. The Keydets held their 1-0 lead throughout the rest of the first half, thanks in large part to keeper Brian Sowell, who made four saves in the half including a spectacular stop on a bouncing header just before the half.
The second half opened with a bang, as USCU defender Chris McCoy was sent off the field with a red card following a stoppage of play in the game's 51st minute. However, that did not faze the Spartans, as senior midfielder Troy Simon (Freeman's Village, Antigua) posted his first goal of the season from the right side of the box to knot the match at 1-1.
The Keydets answered quickly, with Harding converting his first career goal just two minutes later on an assist from freshman midfielder David Hill (Mercer Island, Wash./Darlington School). That stood up as the game-winner, despite eight second-half shots from the Spartans, who already this season have dropped narrow decisions to Clemson (2-0) and Radford (2-1 OT).
“It was a complete team effort today, I think we played 19 players today,” said VMI head coach Ben Freakley. “In summing this game up, I think that we learned from our mistakes. We were up 1-0 the other day, then conceded that goal and couldn't come back. Today, when we gave up the goal, we were able to come right back with another one. I was proud of the guys' commitment to the game, the energy level that the guys put into the last two training sessions really set the stage for today's win. It's great to be undefeated at home.
“I thought that Barret Luxhoj did a great job leadership-wise today, he's really growing as a player on the backline for us,” continued Freakley. “Sonny Landry also excelled at his left-back position today and gave us a great game today.”
Sowell was credited with seven saves in the win, while USCU keeper Jason McCabe (Irmo, S.C.) made three saves while taking the loss. The Spartans held advantages in shots (15-13) and corner kicks (6-3), however saw all three cards issued in the contest go against them.
The Keydets, who now stand at 2-0-1 at Patchin Field this season, must hit the road for a four-game road stretch beginning next weekend, playing Manhattan on Friday afternoon and Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon. The Spartans return to action as they take on Newberry on the road on Friday afternoon.
