Thursday evening, the Tigers played under the lights and traveled to Danville to take on the Westover Christian Bulldogs. In a game that ended up being a fierce battle, the two teams came down to the wire as the Tigers were able to hold onto a 5-4 win.
Cadet Raines Wall (Chatham, VA) was able to get the Tigers on the board, as he scored off a penalty kick in the 3rd minute to take a 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs were able to score 2 unanswered goals in the 22nd and 24th minutes to take a 2-1 lead. Despite the Westover streak, the Tigers were able to bring it even at 2-2 with a goal from Cadet Carter Gustine (assisted by Wall) in the 40th minute to make it 2-2 going into the half.
In the second half, the Bulldogs were able to grab two more goals in the 48th and 53rd minutes to take a 4-2 lead. Through teamwork and effort, the Tigers were able to score three goals in a 9 minute span; Wall added three second half goals- one from the penalty spot, one unassisted and his fourth of the game off a cross from Gustine to make it 5-4. The Tigers were able to preserve the lead with great defensive efforts from Cadets Chad Demarest, Nick Rice, Tyler Aichinger, John Mize, Jesse Vogg, Patrick Franzoni, and goalkeeper Brett Feller. Cadet Feller would end up with eight saves on the night.
On Friday September 4th, the Tigers will begin its’ conference championship campaign as they travel to Harrisonburg, Va to take on Eastern Mennonite High School. The match is set for 5 pm.
