The Hargrave Tigers (5-6-1, 3-0-0) played to a 3-3 draw against No. 19 Fork Union (3-2-2) on Tuesday that witnessed a thrilling second half and two three-goal performances. Hargrave senior midfielder Scott Dinius recorded all three goals for the Tigers, including the game tying goal with just over 12 minutes to play, as Fork Union forward Mike Jewell also tallied all three goals for his respective side.
Hargrave’s first came 14 minutes into the first half as right wing Adam Weiss won the ball within the Fork Union defensive third. Weiss’ redirection of the ball found Dinius who immediately pushed the ball forward and to the right of the penalty area for a quick opportunity. With pressure bearing down Dinius was able to get the low shot off to the bottom left corner of the goal, banging it off the post, and into the back of the net.
The Tigers began the half giving up six shots on goal before the Dinius tally. Though, Tiger goalkeeper Nathan Bloom made good on all six shots holding the opponent scoreless. The Dinius goal was the Tiger’s first shot of the match, and only one of two shots on goal for the Tigers during the half. Fork Union outshot Hargrave by a total of 10-7, and were able to put eight of their ten on net. Bloom finished with seven saves during the first period.
Fork Union, though, would draw even with just over a minute remaining in the first half as Fork Union’s Justin Wells was brought down inside the penalty area. Jewell would take the ensuing penalty and bring the match to a 1-1 tie at the half.
In the second half the Tigers once again were able to take the lead on Dinius’ second with a helper for junior Mike Dalpini. Dalpini dumped a loose-ball into the box where Dinius was able to collect it along the left side where he wrestled the ball away from a Fork Union defender, then took on two others beating them across the face of the goal around the penalty marker, and notched home the 2-1 lead past the oncoming Fork Union goalkeeper.
Seven minutes later, though, the Tiger’s lead would be short-lived as Fork Union’s Jewell followed suit, and drew the match even, once again, at 2-2. Jewell collected the ball within the Tiger’s defensive third, beat two Hargrave defenders inside the penalty area, and hit a low, driven ball past the outstretched hands of Bloom for the equalizer.
With just under 15 minutes remaining Jewell struck again to give the away side the 3-2 advantage off of a turn-over along the Tiger’s left flank. Fork Union’s Jin Woo Lee drove the ball forward from the turn-over, and placed a low driven ball across the face of the goal where Jewell was waiting to collect his hat-trick.
Although, just over two minutes later Dinius equalized for the Tigers on a perfectly executed free-kick from just outside the penalty area, and drew the Tigers even with 12:05 remaining on the clock.
Dinius’ third goal sparked a flurry of opportunities for the Tigers in the final ten minutes of play which included five more shots, four of which were on frame to test the goalkeeper. Dinius recorded three of the Tiger’s final five down the stretch, and almost found his fourth goal of the match on all three opportunities, but was denied twice by Fork Union goalkeeper David George, and sailed his third attempt just over the bar from 12 yards out from a Kenny Mattimore cross. Senior midfielder Austin Newman and junior forward Edwin Choi shared the other two opportunities for the Tigers in the final moments, but both were once again denied by Fork Union’s George.
Hargrave finished the second half outshooting Fork Union by a count of 15-5, and forcing the Fork Union goalkeeper into making eight second half saves compared to only one in the first half. Unfortunately, the Tigers could not lock down the game winner in a very hard-fought, physical game which also played through two five minute overtime periods. The overtime ended with no opportunities for either side, and the 3-3 draw.
