HICKORY, N.C. – In their third game in a week, the Lee University men's soccer team battled to a 1-1 draw with Lenoir Rhyne University on Wednesday afternoon. It was the second 1-1 tie of the young season. Lee has had one goal in each of the first three games. This was also the first ever meeting between the two clubs.
The Flames had some early possession and chances. Zane Marsh and Michael Oberbeck each had a shot that was saved by the Bears goalkeeper. After a couple more shots by Ansel Ledzema and Andreas Aspris, the breakthrough came in the 21ist minute. Thomas Stift found the left corner open and gave the Flames the lead. Lee has now scored first in every game this season.
The lead was short lived though, 12 minutes later in the 32
nd minute. Oskar Dahlberg found Raul Canas for LR and they tied the game at 1-1. Neither team really had many chances after that to end the first period.
In the second half, it played evenly but neither team was able to break through. Lee had six more shots while LR had seven in the second half. The Flames did have six corner kicks but could not convert any of them.
Lenoir Rhyne out shot Lee 13-11 in the contest. The Flames had three yellow cards while LR had two.
Lee will return home on Saturday, September 5
th and will take on Tusculum at 7 PM.
Coach Derek Pottigier's Thoughts:
"I'm really proud of the guys after that match. We of course would have loved the win, and in some ways I think we deserved it with our performance in the 2nd half, but a draw at Lenoir Rhyne, in those conditions is a really good result for us.
The guys knew we did not perform well for the full game each of the first two games - but we are young and so though we knew it would take time we all wanted things to come together faster. Tonight, we put a lot of pieces together. It wasn't perfect, and we suffered the last 20 minutes of the first half, but to see our growth from last Thursday thru tonight is really rewarding. We certainly haven't arrived and we are hungry to keep getting better, but tonight was a good step for this group and for a number of individual players."
