Box Score RALEIGH, N.C. ? The VMI
Keydet men's soccer team was defeated 3-1 Tuesday evening by N.C. State,
in a matchup played on the Wolfpack's home field in Raleigh, N.C.
Playing in under rainy skies in
the North Carolina
state capital, the home team opened the scoring in the first night game ever
played at N.C. State Soccer Stadium.
Tyler Lassiter, one of N.C.
State's top defenders,
found forward Ronnie Bouemboue with a pass. The forward beat VMI goalkeeper
Brian Sowell from about 20 yards out to give the Wolfpack a 1-0 advantage.
From there, the teams went
scoreless for more than 20 minutes, until N.C. State's
Alan Sanchez scored to put the homestanding Wolfpack up two at halftime.
Sanchez's goal was his first of two on the day, and came at the 33:40 mark of
the opening half. At the intermission, N.C. State
had attempted 12 shots to VMI's three, and VMI keeper Sowell had made five
saves.
The second half opened with the
teams trading fouls, as there were eight fouls called in the first 10 minutes
of action. At the 63:44 mark, VMI earned a corner kick, and the Keydets
capitalized, as co-captain Barrett Luxhoj tallied his first goal of the season
to cut the lead in half, 2-1. John Sisco, who took the corner kick, was
credited with an assist on the play.
N.C. State quickly
answered, as just 18 seconds later, the Wolfpack's Sanchez was awarded a
penalty kick. The junior midfielder converted for his second goal of the night,
putting NC State up 3-1. That goal would account for the final margin, as the
Keydets were unable to muster a late rally.
On the night, the
Wolfpack outshot the Keydets 21-8, with VMI's Sowell making nine total saves.
There were a combined 31 fouls called, and N.C. State
was called for eight offside violations. With the win, N.C. State
moves to 1-3-1 on the season, while VMI falls to 0-4. VMI men's soccer returns
to action Saturday, as the Keydets travel to Farmville, Va.,
to battle the Longwood Lancers. Game time is currently scheduled for 1 p.m.
