Post-Game Interview With Aaron White and Wes Saupe at Bottom
BUIES CREEK, N.C. - It was a physical match on Tuesday evening in Buies Creek, N.C. as the Virginia Military Institute men's soccer team opened its Big South Conference slate at Campbell University. For a fifth straight meeting between the schools, the game was decided by one goal, with the Camels coming out on top 3-2.
Not only was it the fifth-straight game decided by one goal, but the fourth game of the series decided 3-2. Campbell has won the last three clashes by that score.
VMI (0-2-0, 0-1-0 BSC) got its first goal of the season from Aaron White, the fifth of his career. White got the assist from freshman Wes Saupe, who transferred to VMI this season from in-state rival and Oct. 22 opponent, Virginia Tech. It was the first point of Saupe's career.
In goal for the Keydets, Daniel Kitchen made 10 saves, hitting double-digits for the first time this season and third time as a Keydet, tying a career-second best. The senior captain withstood a barrage of attempts as the Camels (1-1-0, 1-0-0 BSC) peppered the frame with 13 shots on 29 overall attempts.
Saupe and White were the only two Keydets to manage multiple shots, each taking a pair. Blake McCauley had an early opportunity in the game but was bested by Campbell's keeper Ethan Hall. Freshman Alex Hartman also took a shot for the Keydets.
Prior to the game, the team was greeted by John Bowman, VMI class of 1978, who played for long-time head coach Jay Sculley.
Cameron Mulvey and Bryce Miller each scored once, with both getting a primary assist from Justin Franz. Ricki Gaez had the secondary assist on the Mulvey goal, while Pepe Rangel did likewise on Miller's. Franz had a hand in every goal as he scored the eventual game-winner in the 65th minute on a free kick.
The Camels, who were selected to finish second in the Big South's Preseason Coaches' Poll and garned two first place votes, held a distinct advantage in corners, getting 10 in the game, with nine in the first half alone. VMI did not take a corner kick in the game.
Between the pipes for Campbell, Hall made three saves to earn the victory.
Franz led Campbell's heavy attack, taking six shots. Substitute Tunji Osifeso took five attempts while Jhuvon Francis managed four. The Camels split their shot attempts with 14 in the first 45 minutes and 15 in the second.
The Keydets had an opportunity early in the first half as Saupe sent in a free kick, forcing Campbell keeper Ethan Hall to dive to his left. White followed close behind on the rebound but once again, Hall made the stop.
Campbell jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute after Mulvey directed a header to the top corner. The play was set up on a corner kick, taken quickly by the Camels before it was served in by Gaez and chipped into Franz for the double assist.
The Camels extended their lead to 2-0 with just under 15 minutes left in the first half. Miller knocked in a header on a service from Franz, who played a throw in from Rangel.
But the Keydets sliced the lead in half as White buried VMI's first goal of the season, snapping a 145-minute scoreless drought dating back to the 2012 season finale. White took a pass inside the box from Saupe on a counterattack, earning the transfer his first point as a Keydet. The first half ended with the Camels up 2-1.
Campbell controlled the offensive pace for a majority of the first half, taking 14 shots to VMI's five, while also earning nine corner kicks. The Keydets did not earn a corner in the first 45 minutes. Kitchen made a trio of stops in the half, while Campbell's Hall made two.
The second half was a physical 45 minutes. Campbell took advantage of a yellow card to a Keydet, the second of the game, coming 25-yards out from the goal. Franz netted his second of the game on the ensuing free kick.
But the Keydets rallied, using their potent counterattack again. In the 67th minute, the Keydets got their second goal of the game on a Camel own goal, but the goal was not as accidental as a typical own-goal. Andrew Starnes was pressuring the Camel backline to force a defender to push the ball into the Campbell goal.
After playing their first two games of the season on the road, the Keydets look to take advantage of home field this Friday when they host New Jersey Institute of Technology. Game time is slated for 5 p.m. at Patchin Field following a VMI women's soccer game against South Carolina State University.
