West Virginia stays unbeaten with 2-2 draw towards JMU

MORGANTOWN — The No. 3-ranked WVU males’s soccer group remained unscathed within the loss column after a 2-2 draw towards James Madison at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Sunday.

Each the Mountaineers (8-0-4, 1-0-3 Solar Belt) and the Dukes (4-3-4, 0-2-2) scored one objective in every half. JMU scored the go-ahead objective with every of its scores adopted by WVU ultimately equalizing however by no means seeing a lead of its personal.

“I preferred loads of what we did at this time,” WVU head coach Dan Stratford mentioned. “I’m positive we are going to see issues we might’ve accomplished higher in these moments we gave away the objectives however on the identical time they’re a extremely good group and are coming off of eight days of relaxation which is big in a school soccer season. It’s arduous to be overly crucial seeing the best way we completed the sport on the entrance foot and dominant in possession.”

The Mountaineers additionally started the sport that manner, seeing practically 65% of the possession within the recreation by quarter-hour, however it could be the Dukes to interrupt the ice on the scoreboard.

A errant move from the WVU protection gave JMU possession with a throw-in in a harmful space. The ball was labored down the left wing and ultimately despatched into the field for midfielder Kevin Larsson to hit along with his proper foot into the again of the web for the opening objective.

It didn’t take lengthy for WVU to seek out its first objective, as lower than six minutes later a free kick was given 30 yards away from objective after a JMU foul.

Mountaineer left again Frederik Jorgensen stepped as much as the ball and delivered a spectacular shot that curled its manner into the web with no likelihood of JMU keeper Sebastian Conlon to reserve it.

The rating was all sq. at one after an thrilling opening half that noticed the hosts take management early however go behind as properly.

“They confirmed us loads of respect with the ball in letting us possess it and work it round and on that perspective I believed we did properly,” Stratford mentioned. “They had been dedicated to their challenges and tackles and we had to determine a technique to play by that.”

The second half opened the other of the primary with the Dukes taking management early on. They had been rewarded for his or her efforts with simply over 5 minutes performed within the half when ahead Cameron Arnold gathered the ball on the prime on the field and labored it to his left foot earlier than rifling a shot in the direction of objective that nestled into the top-right nook, giving the guests a 2-1 lead early within the second half.

The Mountaineers settled themselves down after conceding the go-ahead objective and commenced to seek out open area in harmful attacking areas. After a great defensive play within the midfield, WVU’s Dante Huckaby performed a ball for Yutaro Tsukada to run onto behind the JMU protection. Tsukada then floated a ball throughout the face of the objective that was met by Sergio Navarro and redirected into the far nook for the equalizing header with half an hour nonetheless left on the clock.

Each groups fought arduous for a profitable objective however had been unable to seek out it, being equally sound on protection. On the 86:30 mark, JMU noticed an awesome likelihood with a 1-on-1 breakaway between Arnold and WVU goalkeeper Jackson Lee with Lee popping out on prime with a powerful save to protect the 2-2 scoreline.

WVU will look to stay unbeaten on the street towards South Carolina at 7 p.m. Thursday.

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