Deacs rally to tie Terps, edge Spartans
By Margaret McKenzie
Old Gold and Black

It took a late second-half rally by the Demon Deacons to tie Atlantic Coast Conference opponent Maryland 2-2 in College Park on Sept. 30. Later in the week, the Deacs topped UNC-Greensboro 1-0 in double overtime in Greensboro on Oct. 3.

Against the Terps, the Deacons were plagued by 36 fouls called against them and the absence of several key players.

Four of the Deacons’ starting eleven, sophomore forward Jeremiah White, sophomore midfielder Kevin Wickart, senior midfielder Jamal Seale and freshman defender Ryan Caugherty, could not play in the second conference game of the season due to injury. White, the team’s leading scorer, and Wickart were both recovering from concussions sustained in the game last week against Gardner Webb. The injuries provided the opportunity for sophomore defender Wiggy Saunders to make his first start of the season and sophomore midfielder Vicente Bastidas to make his second.

“We were without some guys we have grown accustomed to having in our starting 11. But some of our younger guys stepped up and performed well,” Coach Jay Vidovich said in a statement after the game.

Missing the four key players and the scoring threat of White, the Deacons did not manage to score in the first half. The defense, though, stepped up, fending off the Terrapin attack for the first 45 minutes. An offensive-minded Maryland team took nine shots in the first half compared to only one by the Deacs.

Maryland opened the scoring seven minutes into the second half on a penalty kick. Sophomore defender Kelvin Jones made a tackle on the ball in the box for the Deacons, but the defensive move was called a penalty and Maryland was given the penalty kick. A.J. Herrera capitalized on the penalty and put Maryland ahead 1-0. The Deacs were “very upset at the penalty kick,” Vidovich said, and quickly pushed the ball downfield after kickoff. After a deflected shot on goal and a corner kick, the Maryland defense was able to clear the ball and score less than 90 seconds after the first goal.

The Deacs were faced with the daunting challenge of coming from behind after the quick scores.

“It is very demoralizing, but it shows how we can come together as a team to fight back,” Vidovich said.

The Deacons’ first goal came off a restart with 13 minutes remaining in regulation. Junior midfielder Aaron Thomas gained control of the loose ball in the box, passing it to Jones.

Jones managed to head the ball to freshman forward Scott Sealy who scored the goal for the Deacs.

“Sealy was able to get a bouncing ball and put it in the back of the net,” Vidovich said.
Junior Bobby Gehring tied the game with only 3:17 remaining, heading the ball past the goalie. Gehring’s second goal of the season came off a corner from Christian Lonteen and sent the game into overtime.

Neither team managed to score in the two 15-minute overtime periods, and both recorded their first tie of the season.

Against UNC-G on Oct. 3, freshman forward Stephen Keel half-volleyed a ball from Bastidas into the back of the net in the 112th minute to give the Deacons a 1-0 victory over the Spartans. Gehring played a throw-in to Bastidas in the box, who headed the ball over UNC-G keeper Charlie DeMello to a waiting Keel, who hammered it home.

Hesmer recorded his third shutout of the year, making eight saves, as the Deacs improved to 5-3-1. Vidovich’s team hosts N.C. State at 2 p.m. on Oct. 7 at Spry Stadium.