McGue’s Overtime Penalty Kick Lifts Davidson Over USC Upstate, 4-3

Monday, September 10

Davidson, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

2-2-1

USC Upstate

2-2-1

OT 1

USC Upstate

Davidson

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

McGue’s Overtime Penalty Kick Lifts Davidson Over USC Upstate, 4-3

9/10/2012 10:03:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Game Highlights
Find Your Favorite Wildcat Action Shot at DavidsonPhotos.com

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Brian McGue's 94th minute penalty kick lifted the Wildcats to a 4-3 victory over USC Upstate in the final game of the 9th annual Davidson adidas Classic Monday evening at Alumni Stadium.

“A great win to complete the weekend in perfect fashion,” commented Davidson head coach Matt Spear. “To get two quality wins at home and start a two-game winning streak as well as win the adidas Classic was important for our team moving forward.”

McGue's golden goal came after a Spartan was whistled for a handball in the box three minutes and 22 seconds into overtime.

“I'm really proud of Brian McGue, who came up with crucial goals in both games. His game-winner tonight was composed and confident as a senior captain leader should be in that situation.”

In the 22nd minute, Davidson (2-2-1) took a 1-0 lead when a sliding Andrew DiLallo just got a foot on a long centering pass from Peter Paras and redirected it past Spartan keeper Dani Alvarado.

Less than six minutes after DiLallo's team-leading third goal of the 2012 season, USC Upstate's Dylan Hoop provided an equalizer with a header off a Dave Musambi cross.

Early in the second half, Valeriy Sviderskiy gave the Wildcats a 3-1 lead with a pair of strikes less than three minutes apart. Shortly after the freshman put away a chipped through ball from Drew Brown, Sviderskiy tracked down his own one-on-one that Alvarado was unable to gather and slid a shot past two defenders inside the far post.

“On the attacking side we scored four goals against a team that came in very good defensively,” said Spear.

Upstate had allowed just one goal total in its first four games.

The Spartans' John Kadane cut the deficit back to one, 3-2, with a goal in the 60th minute off a blocked shot following an Upstate corner kick.

After threatening a number of times in the second half, USC Upstate (2-2-1) tied the game, 3-3, on a Musambi left-footed shot that curled in from the nearside corner.

“You have to give a lot of credit to Upstate for fighting from behind twice and making the game very difficult for us,” Spear said.

With just under a minute left in regulation, Davidson keeper Matt Pacifici turned away two Spartan scoring opportunities to send the game into overtime.

The Spartans finished with a 17-14 edge in shots, while the Wildcats attempted one more corner. Pacifici led both keepers with seven saves.

Davidson will wrap up its three-game homestand Saturday evening with a 7 p.m. contest against East Tennessee State.

2012 Davidson adidas Classic All-Tournament Team
Brian McGue (Davidson) - Tournament MVP
Andrew DiLallo (Davidson)
Valeriy Sviderskiy (Davidson)
John Pace (Davidson)
Patrick Harrow (Appalachian State)
Kristian Lee-Him (Appalachian State)
Lee Williams (Appalachian State)
Dave Musambi (USC Upstate)
Dylan Hoop (USC Upstate)
Mitch Reavis (Richmond)
Michael Forsyth (Richmond)