University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Winthrop
Men's Soccer Falls to Big South-Leading Winthrop 3-1
10.25.2009 | Men's Soccer
ROCK HILL, S.C.-Freshman forward Adam Skonicki scored a goal and assisted on two others to lead Winthrop to a 3-1 victory over UNC Asheville, Saturday evening in Big South Conference men's soccer action.
With the win, the Eagles improve to 10-2-2 on the year and 4-0-2 in the Big South while UNC Asheville falls to 6-7-1 and 2-2-1 in the league.
Winthrop came out strong offensively right from the beginning, but it was the Bulldogs who struck first. In the 10th minute, Bryan George scored on a one-on-one after being set up on a nice feed from Branden Lassen. It was George's first goal of the season.
Less than three minutes later the Eagles tied the game as Cameron Alksnis hammered home a left footed blast from about 20 yards. Winthrop was awarded a free kick from around 40 yards out to the left of the UNC Asheville keeper. Michael Luk served the ball into the box, Adam Skonicki passed the ball backwards to Alksnis with his chest and Alksnis hit the one-time shot. Initially it looked as if Lassi Hurskainen had made a diving save, but the shot was too strong and slipped by into the goal.
Around five minutes later, Adam Skonicki was on the other end of a Winthrop goal as he beat Hurskainen for what proved to be the game-winning goal, his third of the season. On a counter attack by the Eagles, Matt Lacey's pass freed Matthew Skonicki down the right side as he took a touch and then crossed the ball perfectly behind the defense and in front of the keeper as Adam Skonicki ran onto the ball and took a one touch shot that nipped off the keeper but still made its way into the net. The 6-2 freshman assisted on an insurance goal in the 81st minute as he battled two defenders for a ball, turned and laid a pass off to Lacey as he ran free down the middle. Lacey took a few dribbles and just as he crossed into the 18-yard box, he placed a shot perfectly into the side netting of the lower right corner.
Matthew Skonicki, who leads the team with 11 goals, had a good chance in the 85th minute as Lacey placed a service right on his head from about six yards out straight in front of the goal. He leaped up and had a clean header, but pushed it wide right. He nearly got his 12th of the season in the 73rd minute as his shot from about 25 yards hit the foot of a defender, sailed over the keepers head, but bounced off the crossbar and over the end line for a corner. Lacey had an outstanding opportunity to make it 4-1 in the 88th minute after a series of quick and impressive passing set up the senior midfielder one-on-one from an angle to the keeper's right. However, the shot from about 8 yards away was struck right at the keeper for the easy save.
UNC Asheville had its chances in the game to possibly add more to the scoreboard, but was unable to convert and finished with 13 shots.
The Bulldogs play next at Gardner-Webb on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
