Box Score Game Box (PDF)
Boone, N.C. – Dave Musambi scored in the 49th minute for the Spartans and the USC Upstate men's soccer team turned in a solid defensive effort to record a 1-1 tie at Appalachian State in non-conference action Saturday night.
Upstate improved to 0-3-1 on the year with the tie and will take a couple of days off before hosting Wofford Wednesday night at 7:00 at County University Soccer Stadium. Appalachian State stands 1-1-3 on the year.
The first half saw much of the play in the midfield as the teams combined for seven shots. Appalachian State held a 6-1 lead in shots in the half, but only one of the Mountaineers' shots was on goal and Spartan goalkeeper Hassan El-Haddad (Marietta, Ga.) came up with the save. The teams went into the half tied at 0-0.
After Upstate pressed early and got a corner kick in the 48th minute, Musambi (Ottawa, Ontario) gave the Spartans a 1-0 lead in the 49th minute. Following the corner kick, which was cleared, Musambi took control of the ball in the box. He moved to his right and put a shot to the right of the keeper and into the net to give the Spartans the lead early in the second half.
After Upstate withstood two Appalachian State shots following Musambi's goal, the Mountaineers tied the match at 1-1 in the 75th minute. Trey Hemphill took control of the ball on a breakaway and beat El-Haddad to get Appalachian State on the board and send the match into a tie late in regulation.
With time winding down in regulation, Upstate got a shot from Musambi in the 84th minute that was saved and another from Michael Rankin-Byrne (Kingston, Ontario) in the 86th minute. However, the Spartans could not cash in and the game went into overtime at 1-1. Upstate owned a 6-3 lead in shots in the half.
Appalachian State was the aggressor in the first overtime period, taking three shots in the 10 minute period. However, they did not connect on any of the three shots as the game headed to the second overtime period. In the second overtime period, Hemphill took a pair of shots for Appalachian State. The first was saved by El-Haddad and the second was blocked as the Spartan defense held firm to secure the 1-1 tie.
Appalachian State finished the match with a 14-7 lead in shots. However, the teams combined for just seven shots on goal, the Mountaineers leading 4-3 in the category. El-Haddad made two saves on the day to lead the Spartan efforts in goal.
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