Men's Soccer Tournament To Begin Friday

Sixth-seeded UNC Asheville will kick off the Big South men’s soccer tournament with a rematch against third-seed Liberty. Thanks to continued rainfall from tropical storm Ida, the match has been postponed and will now begin at 5:00 Friday evening. The Bulldogs (6-11-2, 2-5-1) fell to the Flames (10-4-3, 4-2-2) in the regular season finale at Greenwood Field on Saturday. UNC Asheville claimed the lead in the first half of that match on a Connor Holzinger penalty kick, but was unable to answer second half goals from Liberty’s Darren Amoo and Chris Phillips.

Amoo should again pose the biggest challenge to the UNC Asheville defense. The sophomore from Ghana led the Big South in points (30) during the regular season, and his 13 goals are tops in the conference and sixth best in the nation. Amoo was a constant scoring threat in Saturday’s match, launching a match-high eight shots and scoring the game-tying goal in the 49^th minute. Amoo’s countryman and fellow sophomore, Phillip Aseweh, ranks fourth in the Big South in points (20) and will also be a danger. Sophomore midfielder Juan Niño is second in the conference in assists (8), and supplied the helper on both Liberty goals on Saturday.

Liberty is also a force to be reckoned with on the defensive end. The Flames have allowed a conference-low (and fifth lowest in the nation) 0.51 goal against this season. Most of the credit for this feat belongs to sensational junior goalkeeper Andrew Madero, who leads the Big South with a 0.47 goals against average (fourth best in the nation) and .860 save percentage (10^th in the nation).

The Bulldogs enter the Big South tournament on a five-match losing streak that has dropped them into sixth place, setting up a grueling run at the conference title. If Asheville is able to outlast Liberty on Friday, they will face the winner of second-seed High Point and seven-seed Radford on Saturday. High Point, the tournament host, finished 5-1-2 in conference play and looked very impressive in a 2-1 victory over the Bulldogs at Greenwood Field on October 3. Should Asheville make it to the conference championship match on Sunday, the Bulldogs will likely face either top-seeded Coastal Carolina or fourth-seed Winthrop. The Chanticleers finished the season undefeated in conference play, while the Eagles are the only Big South team to defeat High Point – and did so on the Panthers’ home pitch.

With his penalty kick goal against Liberty, Holzinger became Asheville’s top scorer for the regular season with 10 points (3 goals, 4 assists). Freshman striker Zachary Odum is a close second with 9 points. Lassi Hurskainen has defended the net valiantly all season. Although his goals against average of 1.64 is only fifth best in the conference, Hurskainen leads the league with 105 saves and ranks second with a .789 save percentage.

Although UNC Asheville has struggled of late, the Bulldogs have the opportunity to get back on track and make a run in the conference tournament. Although Asheville lost to the top three seeds, the Bulldogs scored in each match, and each was a one-goal decision. The entire tournament will be streamed online and can be viewed on the Big South network.

Go Bulldogs!

Men's Soccer Preview: Coastal Carolina

UNC Asheville will return home to Greenwood Field on Saturday after a four match road trip, but a difficult challenge awaits against Coastal Carolina. The Bulldogs (6-8-2, 2-3-1) won at Radford and VMI before dropping consecutive matches to Winthrop and Gardner-Webb, and are now fifth place in the Big South. Coastal Carolina (5-2-6, 2-0-3) is undefeated in conference play and has not lost a match since a Sept. 11 contest with Georgetown, yet the Chanticleers are only fourth in the conference thanks to three draws.

The Chanticleers’ most impressive conference win was a 3-1 victory over Gardner-Webb on Oct. 7. Gardner-Webb defeated UNC Asheville on Wednesday and is currently second in the conference. Coastal has also played both Liberty and High Point, two of the league’s finest, to scoreless draws this season. The Chanticleers defeated the Bulldogs twice last season, first in the regular season and again in the Big South tournament. Both matches were 1-0 decisions, and both game-winning goals were scored by Coastal’s Robert Hunter (now a senior). Coastal has come out on top in its last six contests with UNC Asheville, dating back to 2004.

This year, Coastal Carolina has had several different contributors on offense. Junior Matt Schroeder leads the team in conference goals, while senior James Stapleton and junior Riley Phelps are the overall goal-scoring leaders with five apiece. Defensively, Coastal is an imposing foe. The Chanticleers have allowed only two goals in five conference matches, mostly owing to the stellar goalkeeping of Scott Angevine. The sophomore leads the Big South in goals against average (0.35), save percentage (.913), and shutouts (3). Finding a way around Angevine will be the biggest challenge for the Bulldogs on Sunday.

Freshman Zachary Odum remains the Bulldogs’ top scorer, despite starting in only one match this season. Odum added an assist to his total in the loss to Gardner-Webb when he found Alex Koslick for the sophomore’s first career goal. Lassi Hurskainen’s statistics have suffered in conference play, where he ranks eighth in goals against (1.58) and sixth in save percentage (.800). This owes mostly to the barrage of shots the sophomore has faced – he still leads the conference in saves per game at 6.67.

The match kicks off at 2 p.m., and is a critical contest for the Bulldogs as they fight for Big South tournament seeding. Admission is free, so come out and support the team!

Go Bulldogs!!!

Men's Soccer Preview: Gardner-Webb

UNC Asheville will wrap up a four game road trip on Wednesday night when it visits the Runnin’ Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb. The Bulldogs (6-7-2, 2-2-1) defeated Radford and VMI in the first two matches of the trip, before falling to conference-leading Winthrop on Saturday. Gardner-Webb (7-5-1, 3-3-1) is currently third in the Big South standings, and has only lost one home match this season.

Gardner-Webb is very productive on the offensive end, and has come up with several quality wins. The Runnin’ Bulldogs opened the season with a road shutout of ACC heavyweight Clemson. In conference play, Gardner-Webb has defeated Liberty, Radford, and Presbyterian, and played to a draw with Big South-leading Winthrop. Senior Gerard Hefferon ranks second in the conference in points (21), goals (8), and is third in assists (5). Fellow Londoner Romeo Kabanda is fourth in goals with five, and tied with Heffernon in assists. A third Englishman, freshman John Sargent, has also tallied five assists. The goalkeeping for the Runnin’ Bulldogs has been less impressive. Junior Trent Kozman ranks last in the conference among starting keepers with a .672 save percentage – well below the .824 mark posted by Asheville’s Lassi Hurskainen.

Asheville has bounced back from a sluggish start to go 5-3-1 over its last eight contests. The Bulldogs had notched two consecutive wins before coming up short against Winthrop. The match did see sophomore Bryan George, the leading returning scorer from last year, record his first goal of the season. Freshman Zachary Odum remains the Bulldogs’ leading scorer with eight points, but he is followed closely by sophomores Connor Holzinger (7 points) and Jake Hagedorn (6).

UNC Asheville has lost to Gardner-Webb in three of the last four seasons, including a 2-1 defeat last year at Greenwood Field in which both Hefferon and George scored goals. The match kicks off at 7pm, and will be streamed online at www.bigsouthsports.com.

Go Bulldogs!!

Men's Soccer Heating Up

After a disappointing 1-4-1 start to the season, the Bulldogs have caught fire of late. UNC Asheville has managed a 5-2-1 mark over its last eight contests, a stretch that has included a tournament championship and a 2-1-1 conference record - good enough for third place in the Big South.

UNC Asheville defeated both Lipscomb and Belmont in mid-September to claim the title at the Hyatt Place Select Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the first tournament championship in more than 20 years for the Bulldogs, and a huge momentum boost for the program. Asheville followed the tournament up with a gritty showing on the road against nationally-ranked Kentucky, taking the lead on a Bryan Bartels goal but ultimately coming up just short. The Bulldogs returned home and took out a strong East Tennessee State side before beginning conference play. The Big South slate opened with High Point, one of the conference’s best this year. Despite being outshot 11-1 in the first half, Asheville took a 1-0 lead into the locker room, only to lose in a 2-1 heartbreaker. The Bulldogs responded three days later, rallying from a 2-0 second half deficit to force a draw with Presbyterian. At this point, Asheville set out on a grueling four game road trip, still searching for its first win in conference play. At Radford, the Bulldogs delivered a 1-0 victory behind J.J. Morrow’s first goal of the season and Lassi Hurskainen’s second shutout. On Saturday, UNC Asheville was in Virginia again, this time to take on VMI. The Bulldogs were again forced to play from behind, trailing 1-0 at the half, and again found a way to get the victory behind second half goals from freshmen Scott Himelein and Zachary Odum.

The keys to Asheville’s success thus far have been outstanding play in goal and a balanced offensive attack. Hurskainen leads the Big South in saves per match (6.85), and ranks second in save percentage (.824). Odum is the leading scorer with eight points, despite having started in only one match, but the Bulldogs have benefitted from a diverse attack. The team’s 16 goals have come from 10 different players, and Bryan George (the top returning scorer from last season and this year’s leader in shots) is poised to join that list.

The road will become more difficult for the third-place Bulldogs this weekend when they travel to Winthrop. The Eagles (8-2-2, 3-0-2) are ranked ninth in the South Atlantic Region and 46th in the nation. Senior Matthew Skonicki leads the Big South and is second in the NCAA with 11 goals on the season. The matchup is sure to be tough for UNC Asheville, but a third straight conference win on the road would place the Bulldogs among the league’s elite.

Road Warriors

While women’s soccer is at home this weekend for a pivotal two game set, volleyball and men’s soccer are both out of town for conference showdowns of their own. Volleyball travels to South Carolina to face two of the Big South’s best, Winthrop and Coastal Carolina, while men’s soccer heads north to square off against VMI.

For the second straight match, first place in the Big South will be on the line for the Bulldogs (17-5, 6-0) when they battle Winthrop (13-6, 5-1) this evening. The Eagles have won five straight since dropping their conference opener to Liberty in five sets. Winthrop has posted both the highest hitting percentage and the lowest opponents’ hitting percentage in conference play this far. Junior Kaley Viola has been outstanding – she leads the conference in kills, and ranks seventh in hitting percentage and ninth in digs. Senior Kelley Taylor and freshman Baylee Stachan are also among the top ten in hitting, junior Kelsey Hall leads the league in assists, and junior libero Ginnie Talley is fourth in digs.

The Bulldogs will be challenged again on Saturday afternoon by Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers (10-9, 4-2) are fourth in the Big South and have won two straight, their only conference losses coming against Winthrop and Liberty. The Chanticleer attack is led by juniors Chelsy Kimes (second in the Big South in kills) and Megan Bickford (third in hitting percentage). Senior Jill Nyhof leads the conference in blocks, and senior Megan Pollard ranks third in digs. A strong showing this weekend would give UNC Asheville some much-needed breathing room atop the conference standings.

Men’s soccer will travel to Lexington, Virginia, to face VMI on Saturday morning. The Keydets (2-8-1, 1-1-0) are coming off their first conference victory of the season, a 2-0 home win over Gardner-Webb on Wednesday afternoon. The Bulldogs also collected their first Big South win in their last outing, defeating Radford on Saturday. The Keydets rank near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, but have been kept in games by junior goalkeeper Brian Sowell, who ranks first in saves per game and third in save percentage. Junior Brian Harding is the leading scorer, with five points on the year. The match gives the Bulldogs a great chance to pick up another conference win on their current four-game away stand.

Men's Soccer Preview: High Point

UNC Asheville will kick off conference play on Saturday afternoon with a tough match at Greenwood Field against the Panthers of High Point University. The Bulldogs (4-5-1, 0-0-0) have come away victorious in three of their last four outings, including a 1-0 victory over East Tennessee State on Tuesday. High Point (5-3-0, 1-0-0) opened its conference slate on Wednesday by pounding a good Gardner-Webb team, 5-0, on its home field.

High Point demonstrated Wednesday why it was projected as a Big South title contender in this year’s preseason poll. Five different Panthers scored against the second-ranked keeper in the Big South, and High Point goalie Michael Chesler turned in his fourth shutout performance of the season during the match in Boiling Springs, NC. Gardner-Webb is not a likely candidate to be blown out at home – the Runnin’ Bulldogs were off to a 2-0 start in conference play, with shutout victories on the road against Presbyterian and Radford. The Panther offense is spearheaded by brothers Ferijo (3 goals, 1 assist) and Karo Okiomah (2 goals, 2 assists), and by senior midfielder Matt Tuttle, who leads the team with five assists on the season. Chesler has played every minute of the season in the net for High Point, and ranks fourth in the conference with a 1.38 goals against average.

The Bulldogs have progressed dramatically during the young season, and enter the match with a good deal of momentum. Two weeks ago, Asheville defeated Lipscomb and Belmont to win the Hyatt Place Select Invitational – the Bulldogs’ first tournament championship in over 20 years. After a hard-fought loss against nationally ranked Kentucky, Asheville responded with the win over ETSU on Tuesday. Lassi Hurskainen recorded his first shutout of the season in that performance, lowering his goals against average to 1.55 (fifth in the Big South). Hurskainen’s performance in goal is a big part of the reason that the Bulldogs have been so competitive this season despite sometimes struggling to convert on the offensive end. Connor Holzinger has emerged as a star, leading the team with six points (two goals and two assists) while performing equally well on defense. Jake Hagedorn, who scored the winning goal on Tuesday, and Bryan Bartels also each have two goals on the season. Bryan George, the leading returning scorer from last season, has yet to crack the score sheet but has come close on a number of occasions.

UNC Asheville played High Point to a 1-1 draw on the road last season. If the Bulldogs are able to keep the scoring down again this year, they will have a great opportunity to claim a big conference win on Saturday. The match kicks off at 2 pm, and admission is free.

Go Bulldogs!!

Volleyball Tops Radford; Men's Soccer Unable to Hold Off Kentucky

The UNC Asheville volleyball team consolidated its position atop the Big South Conference standings on Friday night with a hard-fought victory in five sets on the road against conference rival Radford. The Bulldogs (13-5, 2-0) rallied from a 2-1 deficit, winning consecutive sets to take the match from the Highlanders (9-8, 0-2).

Asheville was once again driven by standout performances from seniors Lauren Ficker (16 kills, .455 hitting percentage, 14 digs) and Raquel Miotto (27 digs), but the match saw exceptional performances from a number of Bulldogs. Sophomore Cindi Miller added 13 kills, junior Rachel Guinane had 47 assists to go with 6 kills, and seniors Brooke and Bridget Holliday totaled 13 and 10 digs, respectively. It was also a big night for Asheville’s freshmen. Playing in front of family and friends from her nearby hometown of Christianburg, Chelsie Kenley recorded eight kills, two blocks, and two digs. Holly Shelton turned in a team-high four blocks, along with seven kills. The Bulldogs faced a varied attack from Radford. Four different Highlanders posted double-digit kills, including senior Lauren Clary who had a match-high 17.

The Bulldogs will be back in action this Friday night (October 2) when they take on Charleston Southern (9-6, 1-0) at the Justice Center in an early key matchup in the Big South conference title hunt.

The men’s soccer team traveled to Lexington yesterday to take on national power Kentucky. Defense reigned in the first half and the match remained scoreless headed into intermission, thanks in part to two critical saves from Lassi Hurskainen. It was Asheville that broke the silence first when, in the 51^st minute, freshman David Wood delivered a cross to sophomore Bryan Bartels who beat the goalkeeper with a line-drive header for the 1-0 advantage. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs’ lead over the 20^th ranked Wildcats would prove short-lived. Kentucky responded with two goals in the 54^th minute to claim the lead and then cemented the advantage with the match’s final goal, in the 83^rd minute. Goalkeeper Dan Williams made four saves in the second half (equaling Hurskainen’s match total) to keep the Asheville attack at bay. The Wildcats outshot the Bulldogs 24-7, and held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Asheville will be in action at Greenwood Field tomorrow for its final tune-up before conference play begins. The Bulldogs (3-5-1) take on East Tennessee State (1-3-2) at 4pm. The Buccaneers have performed well against some of the nation’s best this season, defeating Virginia Tech and forcing double overtime before falling to second-ranked North Carolina. Admission to the match is free, and it can also be viewed online on the Big South Network.

Men's Soccer Trophy

Here's the trophy the Bulldogs brought home from their championship run at the Hyatt Place Select Invitational tournament:

Congratulations to all-tournament performers Lassi Hurskainen, Connor Holzinger, Jake Sides, and Jake Hagedorn, and the rest of the team!

Bulldogs win the Hyatt Place Select Invitational Tournament!

It was a huge weekend for the UNC Asheville men’s soccer program, as the Bulldogs claimed their first tournament title in more than 20 years. Asheville (3-4-1) defeated Lipscomb on Friday and Belmont on Sunday to win the Hyatt Place Select Invitational in Nashville.

The Bulldogs opened the tournament with a major challenge in Lipscomb. The host school knocked off Asheville to win the tournament one year ago, and was the favorite leading into this season’s event. Indeed, the Bisons did an outstanding job of controlling possession and attacking the goal, outshooting Asheville 36-10 in the match. Yet it was the Bulldogs who struck first when, in the 19th minute, sophomore Connor Holzinger was awarded a penalty kick and drove it home for his second goal of the season. Asheville clung to the one goal advantage until the 65th minute, when insurance came in the form of a strike from sophomore Bryan Bartels, assisted by freshman Zachary Odum. The Bisons finally broke through the wall in front of the Asheville net in the 73rd minute, as Garret Pettis managed to slip a shot past goalkeeper Lassi Hurskainen. Hurskainen was the star of the match, making an incredible 15 saves to enable the Bulldogs to defeat a Lipscomb side that held significant advantages in most statistical categories.

Asheville hit the pitch next on Sunday afternoon, to take on a Belmont squad that defeated Alabama A&M on the opening night of the tournament. Again, the Bulldogs struck first. This time it was sophomore Jake Hagedorn who, in the 27th minute, collected the loose ball following a corner kick and beat the Belmont keeper for his first career goal. Asheville maintained the 1-0 lead for most of the match, as Hurskainen again put on a goalkeeping clinic. In the 81st minute, however, the Bruins found an answer when midfielder Cullen Hall deflected a corner kick into the net and forced the match into overtime. The first overtime period came and went without the deciding goal, despite an intense attack from Belmont. Finally, after over 104 minutes of soccer, Jake Sides scored the game-winner. Belmont cleared an Asheville corner kick, but Holzinger drove it back in to Sides, who finished the play off for his first goal of the season. Again, Hurskainen deserves a great deal of the credit for the Bulldogs’ performance. The Asheville keeper recorded 10 saves in the match as the Bulldogs again defeated an opponent by whom they were outshot (this time 23-15). Hurskainen, Holzinger, Hagedorn, and Sides were all named to the all-tournament.

The Bulldogs still find themselves near the bottom of the Big South table, but the tournament victory should give them a great deal of confidence as conference play draws near. Asheville is idle until September 27, when they travel to Lexington to face #22 Kentucky.

Previewing the Weekend Tournaments

This is an important weekend for UNC Asheville sports, with the volleyball, men’s soccer and women’s soccer teams each participating in their final tournament of the regular season.

The volleyball team is in Orangeburg, South Carolina, for the South Carolina State Spikefest Invitational. The Bulldogs got off to a strong start earlier this afternoon, blanking Winston-Salem State 3-0 for the second time this season. Asheville (9-4) was led in the match by senior Lauren Ficker, who recorded 9 kills with a .500 hitting percentage. Freshman Chelsie Kenley contributed 8 kills, and senior Raquel Miotto had 12 digs. The Bulldogs are back in action this afternoon against Hampton (currently underway). Hampton (2-7) has lost seven consecutive matches headed into the tournament. UNC Asheville faced the Pirates last year, at the USC Upstate tournament, and came away with a 3-0 victory, but the Bulldogs will have to contend with junior standouts Brittany Wynne (56 kills, 25 digs on the season) and Aaryn Harrison (55 kills, 24 digs). On Saturday morning, Asheville will square off against Providence. The Friars (4-9) have a four-game losing streak of their own they look to shed at the tournament. Top performers for Providence include sophomore middle blocker Lauren Fletcher, whose 137 kills and .275 attack percentage are both team highs, and sophomore setter Carly Morrison (31 kills, 352 assists, 89 digs). Because the Friars have not faced Asheville (or indeed any area school) in recent years, it is difficult to set expectations for the match. The same cannot be said, however, for Saturday afternoon’s rematch against Wofford. The Terriers (9-2) are now winners of eight straight, having just defeated Providence - a mark that will likely be extended to nine this evening when they take on Winston-Salem State. Wofford defeated Asheville in a five set battle during last weekend’s Winston-Salem State Invitational. Several Terriers turned in outstanding performances during that match, including senior outside hitter Shanna Hughes (24 kills, .468 attacking, 12 digs), junior outside hitter Stacy Byrd (12 kills, 20 digs), and senior libero Sarah Palmer (25 digs). The Bulldogs are still contending with injuries to a number of key players, including junior standout Kelsey Benorden. To have a shot at avenging their loss last weekend, Asheville will need a strong showing both from veteran leaders like Ficker and Miotto and from new talents like Kenley and fellow freshman Holly Shelton.

Prediction: Asheville 3, Hampton 1; Asheville 3, Providence 2; Wofford 3, Asheville 2.

Men’s soccer will be in Nashville later this evening, to open play in the Hyatt Place Select Invitational on the campus of Lipscomb University. The Bulldogs (1-4-1) will take on Lipscomb (2-2-1) at 7:30 this evening. The Bison are a strong squad whose only losses came at the hands of national powers Michigan and Michigan State. Asheville fell to Lipscomb by a 3-1 margin in Nashville last year. The Bison’s attack is anchored by sophomore Andrew Chamberlain and redshirt junior Miguel DaSilva, each of whom scored goals against the Bulldogs last season, along with freshman Alexander Faulk, who leads the team in goals scored. At noon on Sunday, the Bulldogs will take on Belmont (0-3-1). Asheville defeated the Bruins one year ago in Steve Cornish’s 100th career win. Branden Lassen had his first career goal in the 3-2 victory, and Bryan George recorded the game-winner. Belmont’s offensive leaders this season are freshman Brandon Tarr and sophomore Edgardo Padilla, while senior midfielder Justin Ferguson provides leadership on both ends of the pitch.

Prediction: Lipscomb 2, Asheville 1; Asheville 1, Belmont 0.

Finally, women’s soccer will be in Cullowhee this weekend for the Catamount Classic Tournament. The Bulldogs (3-2-0) will face two very tough opponents, beginning with a match this evening against Elon. The Phoenix (2-2-1) have an undefeated record thus far against Big South opponents, taking out High Point and Coastal Carolina earlier in the season. Players to watch for Elon include senior Molly Calpin and freshman Ceci Jensen, who lead the team in scoring, and senior Sydney Little, who has been outstanding in goal this season (17 saves, .850 save percentage). Up next will be the tournament-hosting Lady Catamounts (2-3-1) who have played very well this season against a number of national powerhouses. Western came up one goal shy of upsetting both Tennessee and Miami, and played Dayton to a draw earlier this month. The Lady Catamounts also defeated Gardner-Webb in their only matchup against a Big South program to date. Western’s stars include Rachael Shomper and Nikki Lombardo, who lead the team in scoring, and junior goalkeeper Caitlin Williams, who has played every minute of the season, recording 29 saves with a .829 save percentage, despite the caliber of the Lady Catamounts’ opponents. The Bulldogs did not face Western last year, but lost in each of the last three matches between the two. Extending back to last season, each of the last seven games for UNC Asheville have been decided by one goal, so there is reason to expect the Bulldogs be competitive this weekend. The play of freshman Chloe McCleary-Small (3 goals, 1 assist) has been very encouraging on the offensive end. If she and the other Asheville attackers are able to find the net this weekend, the Bulldogs will be an upset threat in both matches.

Prediction: Elon 2, Asheville 1; Western Carolina 1, Asheville 0.

Men's Soccer Ends Scoreless Streak; Can't Stop USC Upstate

The Bulldogs suffered a disappointing loss this afternoon at rainy Greenwood Field at the hands of USC Upstate. The Spartans opened up the match with an offensive barrage that led to two goals in the first 25 minutes. John Kadane scored the first goal of the match in the 6th minute, collecting a loose ball in the box and driving it home. Timo Foerster, the Spartans’ assists leader provided the insurance in the 26th minute with a 10 yard strike. Upstate controlled the tempo in the first half, and went into the break with a 6-2 shot advantage and 3-1 edge in corner kicks. The Bulldogs upped their intensity level noticeably in the second half, but were unable to convert on several scoring opportunities. Finally, in the 86th minute, Asheville was able to bring its 388 minute goal-less drought to an end. Redshirt freshman Eli Morrow scored his first career goal on an unassisted 15 yard shot that ricocheted off the left post and into the net. The Bulldogs continued their attack but were limited by a muddy field and strong goaltending by Upstate’s Pat Regna. Asheville held the statistical advantage in the second half, outshooting Upstate 7-2, and taking 6 corners to the Spartans’ 3.

Asheville coach Steve Cornish called the result “disappointing,” and expressed concerns about the effort level from his young team in the first half. The loss places the Bulldogs (1-4-1) firmly in 9th place in the Big South as they draw near the end of a harrowing non-conference slate. UNC Asheville will have the opportunity to break back into the win column over the weekend. The Bulldogs travel to Nashville for the Hyatt Place Select Invitational tournament, on the campus of Lipscomb University. Asheville will open the tournament against the hosting Bisons (2-2-1) on Friday evening, then square off against another Atlantic Sun foe in Belmont (0-3-1) on Sunday afternoon. The matches can be viewed live online through the Atlantic Sun’s IPTV service, at https://asun.neulion.com/asc/console.jsp.

Men's Soccer Preview: USC Upstate

UNC Asheville will have the chance to snap a three match winless streak tomorrow as they take on USC Upstate at Greenwood Field. The Bulldogs (1-3-1) will try to build on their weekend performance at the Davidson adidas Classic, where the young side lost two matches but performed very well against difficult opponents. Asheville fell 2-0 to Davidson (2-1-0) on Friday, despite holding the advantage in shots and corner kicks. On Sunday, the Bulldogs lost by the same margin to national powerhouse Georgetown. The Hoyas (3-1-1) outshot the Bulldogs 28-10, but Asheville kept things close behind a stout defensive effort. Head coach Steve Cornish was impressed with the team’s intensity, saying “our effort was superb in both matches, and our young team continues to get better with each match.” Two Asheville players were named to the Davidson all-tournament team – sophomore goalkeeper Lassi Hurskainen, who recorded 15 saves during the two matches, and sophomore midfielder Connor Holzinger, who has emerged as a leader on offense and defense for the Bulldogs.

USC Upstate is winless at 0-3-0 heading into Wednesday’s match, a mark that might be misleading. The Spartans have been highly competitive in their previous matches, losing by only one goal in each. Upstate opened the season with a 3-2, double-overtime loss to Davidson – the same squad that defeated the Bulldogs 2-0 on Friday. Last week, the Spartans fell 1-0 to a Wofford team that Asheville played to a 0-0 draw earlier in the season. Upstate’s scoring leaders are Nick Buxton, a senior from England who leads the team with two goals, and Timo Foerster, a sophomore from Germany who has a team-high three assists. The Spartans have also benefitted from the netminding of senior Patrick Regna, who has tallied 13 saves on the year.

First priority for UNC Asheville will be to find a way to get the offense back on track; the Bulldogs have not scored a goal in their last 300 minutes of play, despite a number of quality opportunities in the Davidson tournament. Hurskainen has proved he can be counted on for a stellar performance in goal, but the outcome of the match will hinge on the offensive efforts of players like Holzinger, sophomore Bryan George, and freshman Zachary Odum, who leads the Bulldogs in scoring.

The match kicks off at 4pm tomorrow at Greenwood Field, and admission is free. For those unable to attend, the game will be streamed online on the Big South Network.

Prediction: UNC Asheville 2, USC Upstate 1

Recapping a Huge Weekend for the Bulldogs

The long weekend was a very successful one for UNC Asheville athletics, with women’s soccer, men’s soccer, and volleyball all in action. Over a total of seven matches from Thursday evening through Monday, no Asheville team was defeated.

Women’s soccer kicked off the weekend on Thursday night when they traveled to Spartanburg to take on non-conference rival Wofford. Senior McKenna Stockhausen recorded her first goal of the season in the 18th minute of the match on a long pass from Megan Bradham to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage. Thanks to a stellar combined effort in goal by freshman Megan Dent and senior Veronica Lazar, that was the only goal Asheville would need. Lazar made four saves in the second half and the back line provided tough defense on the road to hang on for the shutout victory. The next challenge for women’s soccer came on Sunday afternoon, when they faced another challenge on the road against East Tennessee State in Johnson City. This time, it was an underclassman that delivered for the Bulldogs. Freshman Chloe McCleary-Small, a former Asheville High standout, notched an unassisted goal in the 58th minute, the first of her career. The Lady Bucs responded with a strong attack for the final 20 minutes of the match, but the Bulldogs held on for the 1-0 victory behind another four save performance from Lazar. Coach Michele Cornish continued her goalkeeper-by-committee approach, with Dent playing the first half and Lazar the second, and the result was the Bulldogs’ second consecutive shutout. Asheville (2-1) is currently in sole possession of second place in the Big South. The Bulldogs will play a huge home match tomorrow afternoon at Greenwood Field against undefeated, Southern Conference leading Furman (match preview to follow later today).

Men’s soccer played the only home match of the weekend, facing off against Brevard College on Friday afternoon at Greenwood Field. Although Asheville took a while in finding the net, the Bulldogs dominated early. Brevard was not allowed to attempt a shot in the first half. The scoreless tie was broken in the 40th minute, when sophomore Branden Lassen scored on a strike from the top of the box, assisted by sophomore Alex Koslick and freshman Zachary Odum. In the second half, the Bulldogs widened the gap. Sophomore midfielder Connor Holzinger hit the upper left-hand corner of the net on a brilliantly placed free kick from about 20 yards out in the 46th minute. In the 73rd minute, Odum beat the Brevard keeper from 15 yards for the 3-0 advantage, with Koslick recording his second assist of the day. The Tornadoes showed some signs of life in the final 25 minutes, attempting their only two shots on goal in the match, but sophomore Lassi Hurskainen and freshman Derrick Filip were each able to record a save. The young Bulldogs showed real promise during the match, with Holzinger delivering a stellar performance on both sides of the ball, and Odum (who was named man of the match) demonstrating his offensive prowess in only his second match in the blue and white. On Monday evening, Asheville faced a stiff challenge on the road against Wofford. The Terriers, one of the top teams in the Southern Conference, had the Bulldogs on the defensive throughout the match, recording 26 shots to Asheville’s 5. Nonetheless, UNC Asheville (1-1-1) was able to escape with a 0-0 draw. Filip, making his first career start in place of the injured Hurskainen, played all 110 minutes in goal and recorded 10 saves. The biggest moment of the game came in the 21st minute, when Asheville was whistled for a handball in the box and Wofford was awarded with a penalty kick. Filip made the critical save on the ensuing shot from Armin Kinigadner. The Bulldogs’ best scoring opportunity came in the 108th minute, when a header from sophomore Jake Sides was saved by Wofford keeper Thomas Hunter. The draw places Asheville in a tie for 6th place in the Big South. The Bulldogs will face another uphill battle this weekend at the Davidson adidas Classic. Asheville will face undefeated Davidson on Friday, and then Big East heavy Georgetown on Sunday.

Fresh off their convincing victory over Western Carolina on Wednesday, volleyball traveled to Spartanburg over the weekend to take part in the USC Upstate Invitational Tournament. The Bulldogs’ performance was nothing less than dominant. Asheville opened play on Friday against tournament favorite North Carolina State. After dropping the opening set, the Bulldogs went on to win three straight to upset the Wolfpack for the second year in a row. Asheville was led by senior Lauren Ficker (14 kills), junior Kelsey Benorden (12 kills, 19 digs), junior Rachel Guinane (career high 9 kills, 42 assists), and senior Raquel Miotto (24 digs). The Bulldogs faced two more matches on Saturday, but the first set against NC State proved to be the only one that Asheville would lose at the tournament. The first matchup of the day came against the Citadel, a team the Bulldogs defeated in a dramatic five-set match on August 29th. On Saturday, Asheville cruised to a three-set victory. Ficker (14 kills), Benorden (10 kills, 16 digs), and Miotto (19 digs) again paced the Bulldogs. The final test came against USC Upstate. Asheville easily defeated the tournament host in straight sets, holding the Spartans to a .000 attack percentage and never allowing more than 15 points in a set. A familiar group of players led the way for the Bulldogs – Ficker (12 kills), Benorden (14 kills, 12 digs), and Miotto (16 digs). As soon as the action on the court stopped, the accolades began to roll in for the tournament champion Bulldogs (6-2). Ficker, with 40 kills and a .405 attack percentage, was named tournament MVP. Joining her on the all-tournament team are Benorden, who now has six double-doubles on the season, Miotto, who is now only 64 digs shy of becoming the Big South and Asheville’s all-time leader, and Guinane. Earlier today, we were notified that Lauren Ficker has been named the Big South Offensive Player of the Week, and Raquel Miotto the Big South Defensive Player of the Week. Asheville is now in first place in the Big South. The Bulldogs will take a much-deserved rest this week, but will have another busy weekend, as they travel to the Winston-Salem State Tournament, beginning on Saturday with matches against Savannah State (2-4) and East Carolina (2-4).

Men's Soccer Preview: North Carolina

The Bulldogs face what will likely be the season’s stiffest challenge tonight as they travel to Chapel Hill to face the North Carolina Tar Heels at Fetzer Field. The Tar Heels enter the regular season ranked number one in the nation. Last year, UNC made it all the way to the national championship game, before falling 1-0 to Maryland. This season, they look prepared to pick up right where they left off. Led by three goals from pre-season All-American midfielder Stephen McCarthy, the Tar Heels dispatched of Georgetown, VCU, and Old Dominion in their pre-season friendlies.

One year ago, the Bulldogs took on UNC in Chapel Hill and played brilliantly in a 2-1 loss. Asheville played most of the game short-handed after a red card in the first half, but still played the Tar Heels evenly until Alex Dixon broke the tie in the 68th minute. Although many of the Bulldogs’ leaders from last season have now graduated, the strong sophomore class played a critical role in last year’s performance and will look to repeat the effort this time around. Goalkeeper Lassi Hurskainen recorded four saves in the match last year, and can expect to be tested again tonight. Midfielder Connor Holzinger assisted the Bulldogs’ only goal, and will need to lead the charge on offense, along with standouts Bryan George and Colton Paschall. The Bulldogs are winless in nine total contests against the Tar Heels.

The match can be followed via GameTracker on the Tar Heel Blue athletics website. http://tiny.cc/uncmatch

Go Bulldogs!!

Promising Bulldogs Handle Catawba, 3-1

The UNC Asheville men’s soccer team gave fans good reason to be excited about the regular season, defeating the Catawba Indians in an exhibition match yesterday by a 3-1 margin. The Bulldogs took the lead in the 23rd minute at Greenwood Field, when Bryan George put a brilliant touch on a Colton Paschall corner kick, and never looked back. After taking a 1-0 lead into the locker room at halftime, Asheville came out on the offensive. Zachary Odum scored on a well-placed strike from the top of the box in the 55th minute, assisted by David Parra and Weston Brown. Paschall then found the net in the 62nd minute, slipping the ball between two defenders after beating the keeper. Branden Lassen was credited with the assist. The Indians lone goal came on an Andrew Landry penalty kick in the 63rd minute, following a dubious foul in the box.

The Bulldog sophomores displayed experience beyond their years during the match. Paschall and George led a relentless attack, and narrowly missed several great scoring opportunities due to offsides calls. Standout goalkeeper Lassi Hurskainen shut out Catawba during his 58 minutes of work although he was only seriously tested twice, thanks to a strong performance from the back line. On the other hand, this year’s freshman class displayed tremendous potential in its first appearance. Odum and Parra played big minutes off the bench, hooking up for a goal and keeping the pressure on the Catawba backs. Alex Martin-Smith started for the Bulldogs and played a key role in the stout defensive effort.

The Bulldogs did not look totally polished in the effort, of course, but the match provided invaluable game experience. Most of the errors in the game can be attributed to imperfect timing and miscommunication. These are the sorts of difficulties that we can expect to improve dramatically over the season, and the many outstanding individual efforts in the game show how good the young Bulldogs can be when they gel as a team. The match was also remarkably physical for a friendly, with 16 fouls against the Indians and 10 against the Bulldogs. Catawba defender Matt Halton was booked with a yellow card in the 52nd minute for an illegal tackle.

UNC Asheville faces a daunting task on September 1st, when they travel to Chapel Hill to open the regular season against North Carolina. The Tar Heels are ranked second in the nation, and have already defeated Georgetown and VCU in exhibition matches. The Bulldogs will then return to Greenwood Field on September 4th for their home opener, against the Tornados of Brevard College.

Men's Soccer Preview: Catawba

Men’s Soccer action gets underway on Monday as the Bulldogs face off against the Catawba Indians in an exhibition match at Greenwood Field. It will be our first chance to get a look at the 2009 side, which has undergone big changes in the offseason. Although five of the top six scorers from a year ago have graduated, the Bulldogs are loaded with underclassman talent. Leading the charge will be sophomore goalkeeper Lassi Hurskainen, who allowed more than two goals in only one match last season, and delivered a shutout against Conference USA power Kentucky. On the offensive end, keep an eye on sophomore Bryan George, the Bulldogs highest returning scorer.

Catawba is also in the midst of a transition, with Liam Farrell arriving from Appalachian State to take over as the new head coach. Alex Koslick, the Indians leading scorer last year, has transferred to UNC Asheville and will be facing off against his old school in the match. Senior forward Andrew Landry and sophomore midfielder Kevin Sorensen, the top two returning scorers for Catawba, will be dangerous. Catawba turned in a disappointing 4-14 record last year to finish 7th in the South Atlantic Conference. The SAC poll has them finishing 7th again this year.

The Bulldogs finished 6th in the Big South with a record of 7-8-4 a year ago, and are projected to finish 7th this year in the conference’s preseason poll. However, 18th year head coach Steve Cornish and the Bulldogs expect to finish much higher. UNC Asheville lost only one match by more than a goal last year, despite a non-conference slate that included a number of major conference opponents. The young Bulldogs might be unproven - other than senior Edwin Wortorsi, whose eligibility is uncertain, every player on the roster is either a freshman or sophomore - but they have the talent to accomplish great things this season.

The match starts at 4pm on Monday - make sure you come out to support the team!

Bryan George

Lassi Hurskainen

Go Dogs!