Box Score HATTIESBURG, Miss. – After mounting comebacks in each of the previous two matches, the 13th-ranked Georgia Gwinnett men's soccer team fell victim to an opponent's late rally on Monday as the Grizzlies drew 2-2 with William Carey at Crusader Field.
The Grizzlies looked to be in good shape for a second consecutive victory after taking a 2-0 lead into the half, but a penalty and late WCU goal doomed those chances as the team moved to 5-2-3 on the year. Meanwhile, WCU extended its unbeaten streak to three matches to take its record to 4-3-1.
"When you're up 2-0 at the half, you have to be a little disappointed to get the draw," GGC head coach Steve DeCou said. "It was a great first half for us, but the second half was not the kind of response that we want. You have to give credit to William Carey for their fight back, but we have to do better in those situations."
Samuel Sampaio Gomes, who had not registered a goal since the season-opening win over Talladega, got back on the scoresheet early on Monday, directing a pass from Jon Conner into the back of the net in the 20th minute to open up the match's scoring.
"It was good to see Sam score, and it was a great goal for him," DeCou said. "He just gives us an added dimension to our play. He's big, powerful and mobile, which makes him a difficult player for opponents to deal with, whether he's scoring goals or not."
GGC, which has been a terror to opposing defenses this season with set pieces, continued that trend just 12 minutes later as Matt Redgrave nodded a John O'Connor corner kick to Martin Toribio to double the Green and Gray advantage. It was the second goal in three games for the Spanish midfielder, and he now has three on the season.
Of GGC's 22 goals this season, nine have come from dead ball situations.
However, it would be the Crusaders' Spaniard who ultimately keyed the second half comeback as Pedro Villar Roldan cut the deficit in half with a penalty kick in the 68th minute before supplying the assist to Roger Viladomiu in the 86th to send the match into overtime.
The Grizzlies, who are now also riding a three-match unbeaten streak, will be looking to get back on the winning side of things when they return home Saturday to face Martin Methodist at Grizzly Soccer Complex. The match is slated for a 4 p.m. kickoff.
NOTES: William Carey is the only opponent from the state of Mississippi that GGC has played … The Grizzlies are now 1-0-1 all-time vs. the Crusaders … Matt Redgrave has recorded five goals and now two assists on the nine GGC set piece goals this season … Jon Conner has logged a goal or an assist in three consecutive matches … GGC is 17-7-4 in the month of September.
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