THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 19, 1995 TAG: 9506190129
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Hampton Roads knows how to handle penalty kicks.
After goalkeeper Garth Lagerwey stonewalled a Roanoke penalty kick attempt to keep the game tied, forward Darren Eales came through where the Riverdawgs could not, converting a penalty shot midway through the second half to lift the Mariners to a 2-1 win Sunday at the Center for Effective Learning.
Hampton Roads peppered keeper Aaron Ewert with 30 shots but couldn't make most of them count.
``I couldn't hit a barn door from 6 yards (out) today. It was a real nightmare,'' said Eales, who had 15 of the Mariners' shots. ``But if we can play like this and still win, that's something.''
Even with the victory, Hampton Roads (9-2) remained in fifth place in the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues Atlantic Division, three points behind Charlotte and Greensboro.
While the Mariners started slowly, Roanoke - with five former Hampton Roads players on the roster - came out firing. In the first 13 minutes, Riverdawgs forward Ian Spooner single-handedly outshot the Mariners, 4-1.
Roanoke (2-8) went up 1-0 at the 17:46 mark when Brian Bennett got away from his defender and lifted a shot just over Lagerwey's right shoulder. Hampton Roads evened the score three minutes later when Eales buried the rebound of Matt Kirk's shot for his 13th goal.
Lagerwey would face his stiffest challenge roughly three minutes into the second half. Spooner charged into the box with defender Chris Love trailing the play and got off a shot as Lagerwey came out to challenge. The referee ruled that Spooner was obstructed and awarded the Riverdawgs a penalty kick.
Spooner lined up to take the shot and fired toward the right corner of the net, but Lagerwey guessed correctly and smothered the ball to keep the score tied at 1.
With thirteen minutes left to play, Mariners captain Mark Waite got behind his defender and came in alone on Ewert, who wrapped his arms around the Mariners captain and pushed him down, resulting in a Hampton Roads penalty kick.
Eales took the ensuing shot, beating Ewert to the right corner with the game-winner as the goalie dove the opposite way.
``We missed so many good chances. If we put those away the score isn't even close,'' said Hampton Roads coach Sonny Travis. ``I can't say I'm happy with the way we're finishing, but we're doing the things (we need) to win.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by LAWRENCE JACKSON/
Hampton Roads' Chris Love, left, jockeys for the ball with Ian
Spooner of Roanoke during the Mariners 2-1 win Sunday.
by CNB