BOONE, N.C. — Despite a strong second half battle, Appalachian State University men's soccer fell 2-1 in a heartbreaking overtime battle to Coastal Carolina on Tuesday night at the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex.
"In the first half, I don't think we started out competing for every inch of the field and every loose ball, which was obviously one of the keys to the game," head coach Jason O'Keefe said. "But we had some guys come off the bench and do a great job for us and brought some of that competitiveness and we were able to get our foot back in the game and get some shots. In the second half, I thought the guys did a great job of just ticking away at it and competing until finally getting the equalizer, but you've got to get out of overtime without conceding a goal."
O'Keefe continued, "We're going to have to take the same grit and competitiveness out of the second half into Georgia State, another talented team coming in trying to get conference points. In this league, it's very close and it's really up for grabs so we have to start the match with an intensity and competitiveness and a desire to want to do everything we can to get as many points as we can out of the game. Especially with being at home, it's going to be important."
The Mountaineers' (4-6-3, 1-1-1 Sun Belt) come-from-behind effort began in the second half after an early first-half Chanticleer (5-5-3, 1-2-1 Sun Belt) goal put them behind on the board in the 14th minute.
The battle over the middle was fierce and physical with neither team willing to give up a step as a record-setting 1,256 attendance crowd created a deafening home environment for Appalachian.
The crowd was never louder than when the Black and Gold were able to equalize the game in the 81st minute when senior Jordan Melia fired a corner kick right in front of the goal to connect with the head of senior Stephen Chapman before clanging off the cross bar high and going into the net. The goal was Chapman's sixth of the year, while it was Melia's second assist.
With the goal, the two teams headed into extra minutes where again the hard-fought battle for each and every ball took mainstage. Unfortunately for Appalachian, Coastal Carolina got the game-winner in the 93rd minute on a bang-bang play in front of the net, ending the game.
The loss is the first of the season at home for the Mountaineers, also snapping a six-game win streak. Appalachian is now 3-1-3 in their last seven. Freshman goalkeeper Jake Agnew made one save in the game but cleared several dangerous crosses out of harm's way to stifle the Chanticleer offensive attack.
Leading the way for Appalachian offensive was Chapman, who finished with two shots, both of which on goal. Behind him was senior junior John Walrath with one shot on goal. Sophomore Ian Bennett and senior Donovan Japp also contributed one shot on the night.
The Mountaineers continue their October homestand on Saturday, Oct. 22 when they host Georgia State for the team's senior day. Kickoff was pushed back 30 minutes to 7:30 p.m. to allow fans more time to get to the Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex after homecoming App State-Idaho football action.
