Concord scores and wins for first time

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Chasing a loose ball... Bluefield College’s Steven Guerrier (4) and Concord University’s Tyler Farrar (6) go for the ball in action Thursday night at the East River Soccer Complex. Staff photo by Jon Bolt

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September 6, 2012

Concord scores and wins for first time

By BOB REDD Bluefield Daily Telegraph The Bluefield Daily Telegraph Thu Sep 06, 2012, 11:49 PM EDT

EAST RIVER — The Concord University Mountain Lions got two second half goals and shut out the Bluefield College Rams 2-0, Thursday night at the East River Soccer Complex.

“It’s a win, that’s good,” said CU coach Steve Barrett. “I don’t say we played real well. The second half we lost our way a little bit, the first half we did well, the second half the kids stuck with it. We didn’t give up a goal.”

The first half was a defensive struggle, but Bluefield had its opportunities. Several Ram kicks were saved, or went off the post and the teams went to the break scoreless.

Concord, who entered the game with an 0-1-1 record, scored its first goal of the season in the 72nd minute of the game on a kick by Cameron Russell from about 30 yards out, left of goal. While it was the first goal in three games for the Lions, it was the ninth allowed in four games by Bluefield, who came into the contest with a 1-2 record.

The Mountain Lions struck again in the 80th minute on a goal by Richard Vincent to make it 2-0, and that proved to be the final score of the match.

“They (Bluefield) had scored seven goals in three games, so we knew they were capable of putting the ball in the net,” Barrett said. “Too come out with a shutout tonight was great. That’s soccer. We put the ball in the net, they didn’t and we come out with a win. That’s great. It wasn’t a great performance for us, we’ve got to get better.”

The Mountain Lions are a very young team and Barrett believes as they get more playing time, they will get better.

“We start five, or six freshmen and we bring freshmen off the bench. We’ve got about 13 freshmen that are playing for us,” Barrett said. “It’s a learning experience for them, and to get out in games like this is big for them. We’ve got a big game Sunday against Wesleyan on the road, so this will help us. We grew up a lot tonight, the way we pulled this one out.”

Bluefield coach Peter Dryer gave praise to Concord and realized his team missed some big opportunities.

“It was a good battle, both teams fought really hard,” Dryer said. “I thought we had chances, we hit the post, we were right in front of the goal, and their keeper made a couple of nice saves. We had our chances to put them away and we didn’t and they had theirs and did.

“In the second half we came out strong. I felt we put good pressure on them, but sometimes our guys, it takes a goal against them to wake them up. By the that time it could be too late and tonight it was too late.”

Concord plays next on Saturday in its WVIAC opener at West Virginia Wesleyan. Bluefield hosts Ferrum, Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the East River Soccer Complex.

— Contact Bob Redd at bredd@bdtonline.com

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Concord scores and wins for first time

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