CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Davis & Elkins came out strong against a formattable Charleston (W. Va.) side, but the 11th-ranked Golden Eagles cashed in with three goals late in the second half to earn a 4-0 victory over the Senators on Wednesday night in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play.
Davis & Elkins (6-8, 5-8 MEC) had consecutive corner kick opportunities at 36:00 and 36:35 in a closely-played first half, while
Richard Glemawu notched three saves in the opening 45 minutes. Possession was relatively even for both sides in the first half, but Charleston scored off the rush as Gabriel Rodriguez finished a Jesus Cabanas pass in the 38th minute for a 1-0 lead.
Glemawu kept things within reach with a strong stop on a Christos Charalambous in the 66th minute after both teams traded possession in the midfield to start the second half. The Senators had several second half runs chipped away in the box as Charleston (W. Va.) closed things down on the defensive end.
Freddy Tracey converted the insurance marker after burying a cross from Ettore Ballestracci with just under seven minutes left in the contest for a 2-0 lead. Charleston continued the scoring with a penalty kick goal from Adam Burchell at 85:29 for a 3-0 lead before Ballestracci put the finishing touches on the conference contest with a goal for the 4-0 final.
THE RUNDOWN
- Charleston (W. Va.) (13-2-1, 13-0-1 MEC) - 4
- Davis & Elkins (6-8, 5-8 MEC) - 0
- Welch Athletic Complex – Charleston, W. Va.
GAME NOTES
- Glemawu made a career high seven saves in the contest.
- Offense was tough to come by for D&E as three players recorded a shot to account for the Senators offense. Miguel Rodriguez, Daniel Cerezo and Abel Ameyaw posted shots for D&E.
- Charleston had eight shots in the opening half, but only recorded a few quality chances as Davis & Elkins dropped in a defensive formation to begin the game. Davis & Elkins held possession for approximately 47% of the time in the first frame.
- Rodriguez was shown a yellow card with just under three minutes remaining in the opening half.
- Charleston notched a 4-1 win in Elkins earlier this year after scoring quickly at Nuttall Field. Victor Pires scored the goal in the first meeting this season against the Golden Eagles.
- The Golden Eagles clinched the league's regular season title with a victory on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
- Davis & Elkins is back in action on Saturday, November 2 against Wheeling. Game time is set for 1:00 PM.