HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. – The Hampden-Sydney College soccer team dropped a heartbreak in overtime, 2-1, in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament semifinals to the University of Lynchburg. The Tigers conclude their spring season with an 8-1-1 record.
The game initially got delayed by over an hour due to lightning and storms in the Farmville area. Both teams remained in their locker rooms until the all-clear was given. After a 30 minute warmup both teams were ready for kick off.
Both teams battled a wet turf field early on with several slips and long passes, but it was the Hornets who found the back of the net first in the 26th minute with a goal by Nick Foley. Despite a number of opportunities for the Tigers, they were unable to score before the half with Lynchburg leading, 1-0.
H-SC looked to make an offensive push to start the second half when freshman Emory Davis/Palmyra took a short pass from classmate John Alexander/Wake Forest, NC in the 57th minute to even up the game at 1-1. A defensive battle ensued with a combined six shots the rest of regulation as the two teams headed to overtime.
It was in the first overtime period that Manzi Shalita for the Hornets took had a scramble pass in front of the goal and was able to foot it in for the game-winning score.
Senior Gray Sutter/Clinton, NC played all 95:02 in goal for the Tigers making five saves. Sutter finishes his career with 151 saves for ninth best in program history while also finishing sixth in career shutouts with nine.
The 2020-21 season marked several high-notes for Hampden-Sydney. The Tigers finished the regular season undefeated at 8-0 for the first time in program history. H-SC also extended its school and ODAC record unbeaten streak to 23 games before the loss tonight.
Freshman Declan Shaw/Durham, NC led the Tigers this spring with 12 points (4g, 4a) while Alexander was second on the team with nine points (2g, 5a). In total, the Tigers scored 17 goals this year with all but two of them scored by a freshman or a sophomore. The eight goals allowed this season was the fewest in team history.
