LEXINGTON, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Men's Soccer Team (0-0, 0-0 SAC) got the 2024 campaign started with an exhibition match against Virginia Military Institute (1-0, 0-0 SoCon) on Thursday afternoon. The Wasps battled tough against the NCAA Division I Keydets, falling by a 4-2 margin after a pair of late goals by the hosts.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Virginia Military 4, Emory & Henry 2
LOCATION – Lexington, Virginia
VENUE – Patchin Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (0-0, 0-0 SAC); Virginia Military (1-0, 0-0 SoCon)
How It Happened
- The Keydets opened the scoring early in the 19th minute when Cole Mooney completed a combination of passes with a right-footed shot to the bottom-left corner of the goal. Woongchan Oh and Colin Blanford were credited with assists.
- VMI made it a 2-0 halftime contest, scoring on a corner kick at the 36:44 mark of the contest. Elliot Chaffey served the corner up to the back post where it was played back in by Anthony Huang who found Oh across the face to finish the work.
- Just before the hour mark, Emory & Henry got on the board. Sophomore midfielder Gabe Franco's (Charlotte, N.C.) shot caromed off the left post and back into play where it was banged into the back of the net by senior forward Cesar Tobar Monge, Jr. (Charlotte, N.C.) for a 2-1 margin.
- The Wasps found the equalizer in the 66th minute on a strike to the bottom left corner by junior forward A.J. Dale (King George, Va.) from a cross from sophomore midfielder Ethan Hayes (Williamsburg, Va.).
- With 6:09 remaining in the contest, VMI regained the lead as Huang put a ball in the back of the net assisted by Grant Martin. Martin gave the Keydets a two-goal cushion less than one minute later scoring from inside the box for the 4-2 final score.
Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
- Tobar Monge, Jr. and Dale led the way for the Wasps, scoring on their only attempts of the contest.
- Sophomore Josiah Wilson (Cleveland, Va.) made four saves in goal.
Virginia Military Individual Leaders
- Huang paced the Keydets with a goal and two assists on five shots while Oh had a goal and one assist, also taking five chances.
- Zack Murphy picked up the win in goal for VMI despite not stopping a shot.
Up Next
- E&H will play two more preseason contests before opening the regular season on the road at Shaw University on Thursday, September 5. The contest will be a doubleheader with the Wasps' women's squad against the Bears.
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