NORFOLK, Va. – Three first half goals proved to be the difference as the Old Dominion Men's Soccer team defeated Coastal Carolina 3-1 on Saturday night at the ODU Soccer Complex. Michael Eberle led the Monarchs scoring a goal and adding an assist.
ODU (4-0-5, 2-0-1) started fast when Eberle found William Arnesen who slotted the ball in the bottom left corner to give the Monarchs a 1-0 lead in the second minute. Four minutes later David Strmsek sent a long pass over the Chanticleers (3-4-2, 1-1-1) defense that found Eberle who drove a ball past the keeper. Old Dominion kept the pressure up and in the 21st minute Jonas Schmalbach gathered the ball that was cleared on an ODU corner and delivered a strike from outside the box that found the back of the net. The Monarchs took a 3-0 lead into halftime outshooting Coastal 7-1 in the first half.
The second half was even as Coastal tried to put the pressure on the Monarchs defense. The Chanticleers outshot ODU 8-7 in the second half. Coastal Carolina got on the board in the 69th minute when Eythor Kjartansson crossed the ball in on a corner to Ewan Gordan who headed it past the Monarchs keeper Michael Statham. Statham faced nine shots, making three saves.
"The boys jumped on Coastal early and battled in the second half to seal the three points and the win," said ODU Head Coach Alan Dawson.
The Monarchs are back in action on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. when they host Campbell at the ODU Soccer Complex.
Fast Start Lifts Men's Soccer Over Coastal Carolina 3-1
Michael Eberle