Stegman's Late Goal Forces Deadlock with #13 Falcons
DAHLONEGA, GA
– In their second straight game against a ranked opponent,
the North Georgia men's soccer team proved resilient, striking late
to force overtime and battling 13th-ranked Montevallo to a 2-2
deadlock Saturday evening at the Soccer Complex in Peach Belt
Conference action.
North Georgia remains undefeated on the season, moving to 3-0-3
overall and 1-0-1 in the Peach Belt Conference, while the Falcons
see their five-game winning streak snapped to open the season but
remaining undefeated, moving to 5-0-1 overall and 1-0-1 in the
league.
Plenty of scoring came along in the first half as the Falcons
jumped out on top in the 12th minute when Nathaniel Foster took a
pass from James Steer and knocked home the game's first goal,
The Saints countered with the equalizer in the 29th minute as
Caleb Turner sent a corner into the box, eventually finding Ben Chedgy who
headed home his third goal of the year to make it 1-1.
Foster would add his second goal of the game and fifth of the year
at the 30:48 mark however, winding up from 35 yards out and firing
a laser strike that grazed off the left post and found the back of
the net, giving Montevallo the lead once again at 2-1.
With time winding down on the Saints, Ben Tayi served the ball
into the box, finding Ben Stegman who
collected the pass fired a strike just inside the left post to send
the crowd into eruption and knot the score once again, this time at
2-2. The goal at the 84:49 mark was Stegman's second of the year,
eventually sending North Georgia to their fourth double overtime
contest of the season and third tie of the year.
The Saints managed a single shot in the first overtime period, and
three more in the second, but were unable to convert the
game-winner. The Falcons were held without a shot in the opening
overtime session, and tallied just in the second extra period, but
it was wide of the mark.
The matchup of two of the most exciting goalkeepers in the
southeast lived up to the hype as North Georgia's Rade Tanaskovic
and Montevallo's Brendan Ledgeway both secured their team's goals
for all 110 minutes of action. Ledgeway tallied the only two saves
in the contest, while the Saints' defense allowed just two shots on
goal, both coming from Foster and both resulting in goals.
North Georgia held a 16-7 advantage in shots, while the Falcons
held a slim 7-5 edge in corner kicks. Fouls were whistled even on
the night at 13 apiece as over 200 fans made their way to the
Soccer Complex for another classic heavyweight showdown in the
Peach Belt Conference.
The Saints return to action next Wednesday, playing host to Queens
University of Charlotte in the final game of the longest home stand
of the year. Kickoff against the Royals is set for 5:00 p.m. at the
Soccer Complex.
