Freshmen, Defense Lead Keydets Over Gardner-Webb, 2-0

Men's Soccer VMIKeydets.com

Freshmen, Defense Lead Keydets Over Gardner-Webb, 2-0

Box Score

LEXINGTON, Va. – Freshmen David Rochow and Forrest Moul notched the game's goals and a strong defensive effort shut out the opposition as the VMI men's soccer team blanked the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs, 2-0, in a Big South contest played Wednesday afternoon at Patchin Field.

VMI (2-8-1, 1-1 BSC) took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute, as Moul intercepted a goalkeeper pass just outside the box. He then sent a high, arching shot over Gardner-Webb (6-4-1, 2-3-1 BSC) netminder Trent Kozman to give the Keydets a lead they would not relinquish. Rochow added his goal in the 74th minute, a header off a ball Chris Curtis served into the box, to account for the final margin. VMI's back line limited the visitors to just three shots on goal.

The teams took the field on a brisk fall day, with temperatures sitting below 50 degrees and rain falling throughout the contest. Gardner-Webb opened the game with one of its best offensive pushes of the day. After a Brian Harding shot went high at 2:12, the Bulldogs controlled pace for the next 10 minutes. Despite earning two corner kicks and posting two shots during that time, the visitors could not score, as Brian Sowell stopped a Gardner-Webb shot at 13:54.

The Keydets countered at 17:07, when Harding had a shot blocked from the middle of the field. The ball rolled through to Kozman, who passed it to a teammate on his right. However, Moul was able to win the ball for VMI and beat Kozman with a shot, putting the Keydets up 1-0. The goal was the second of the season for the freshman, as he also scored in VMI's other victory this season, a win over Longwood on Sept. 26.

Moments after the goal, Ayao Sossou had a quality chance as well, but Kozman made a clutch save to keep the margin at 1-0, VMI. After several minutes of back-and-forth, midfield oriented action, Gardner-Webb countered with three shots in less than two minutes. Gerard Hefferon fired an attempt wide at 26:29, and had a shot stopped by Sowell at 27:24. The Bulldogs had another try go wide moments later, and Sowell posted his final save of the match at 33:53, stopping Hefferon again to keep VMI in front. The majority of the final 11 minutes of play in the opening half was contested in the middle third of the field, and the score remained 1-0 at halftime.

The Keydets pushed for another score early in the second half, as they outshot GW 14-4 in the final 45 minutes. Kozman had a quartet of saves in the opening 11:44, and Jacob MacIntyre had a shot bounce off the near post at 62:28 to keep the margin 1-0. After a Gardner-Webb shot went high, the Keydets countered with a trio of attempts over the next 1:32, but misfired on all.

All told, VMI outshot the Bulldogs 8-2 over the first 24 minutes of the second half, and that pace paid off at 73:07. Curtis served a ball into the box from about 20 yards out, and Rochow outjumped a Gardner-Webb defender for the header, which the freshman buried into the back of the net to put his team up by a pair of goals. The visitors had one more opportunity, but a header by Hefferon in the 87th minute was wide allowing VMI to prevail, 2-0.

In the win, VMI outshot Gardner-Webb 21-11 and held the Bulldogs to just three shots on goal, none in the second half. Sowell made three saves for VMI, while Kozman stopped eight shots for Gardner-Webb. The all-time series between the Keydets and Bulldogs is now tied at two wins apiece, with the home team having won all four games played.

VMI men's soccer will return to action Saturday, as the Keydets host the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in a Big South contest at Patchin Field. Game time is set for 11 a.m.
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Players Mentioned

Chris Curtis

#16 Chris Curtis

M
5' 7"
Junior
Brian Harding

#18 Brian Harding

M
5' 11"
Junior
Jacob MacIntyre

#11 Jacob MacIntyre

F
6' 1"
Sophomore
Forrest Moul

#3 Forrest Moul

M
5' 7"
Freshman
David Rochow

#23 David Rochow

D
6' 0"
Freshman
Ayao Sossou

#44 Ayao Sossou

D
5' 6"
Sophomore
Brian Sowell

#0 Brian Sowell

GK
6' 3"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Chris Curtis

#16 Chris Curtis

5' 7"
Junior
M
Brian Harding

#18 Brian Harding

5' 11"
Junior
M
Jacob MacIntyre

#11 Jacob MacIntyre

6' 1"
Sophomore
F
Forrest Moul

#3 Forrest Moul

5' 7"
Freshman
M
David Rochow

#23 David Rochow

6' 0"
Freshman
D
Ayao Sossou

#44 Ayao Sossou

5' 6"
Sophomore
D
Brian Sowell

#0 Brian Sowell

6' 3"
Junior
GK