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Virginia Commonwealth University

#LetsGoVCU
Mario Sequeira North Carolina Cover
1
VCU VCU (1-0-1, 0-0-0)
1
North Carolina UNC (1-0-1, 0-0-0)
VCU VCU
(1-0-1, 0-0-0)
1
Final
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North Carolina UNC
(1-0-1, 0-0-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 OT 2 F
VCU VCU 1 0 0 0 1
North Carolina UNC 0 1 0 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

VCU EARNS HARD-FOUGHT DRAW AT #4 NORTH CAROLINA

Final Score: VCU 1, No. 4 North Carolina 1
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C. (Dorrance Field)
Records: VCU 1-0-1, No. 4 North Carolina 1-0-1
 
The short story: Freshman midfielder Damian Gallegos scored the first goal of his collegiate career and senior goalkeeper Mario Sequeira made a career-high 13 saves to give VCU a result against a top-10 opponent for the second straight match to open the season.
 
QUICK FACTS
  • After notching an assist in his collegiate debut on Thursday, a 2-0 win at No. 7 Wake Forest, Gallegos scored his first goal as a Ram in the 41st minute.
  • Senior defender Simon Fitch provided the assist on Gallegos' goal, giving Fitch the team lead with three points after two matches.
  • The Tar Heels, who made the 2020 College Cup, held a staggering 50-4 advantage in shots through 110 total minutes of play, but Sequeira and the Rams back line remained strong and conceded just one goal. North Carolina tallied 14 shots on goal compared to VCU's two.
  • All four of VCU's shots came in a five-minute flurry at the end of the first half.
  • 21 different Rams saw playing time Sunday night.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Sequeira was tested early by the Tar Heels, and made a leaping save to push a long-range effort over the bar in the ninth minute.
  • The San Jose, Costa Rica, product made another tremendous save in the 22nd minute, parrying a shot from eight yards out away with one hand while falling off balance.
  • After absorbing pressure for most of the first half, VCU surged forward in the waning minutes before halftime.
  • In the 41st minute, redshirt junior forward Andy Mensah played a cross from the left wing that was deflected out to the top of the box for Fitch. Fitch floated a ball to the back post for Gallegos, who took a touch to bring the ball down, then scored his first career goal with a cool finish into the side netting.
  • On its 38th total shot of the match, North Carolina equalized through Errnest Bawa in the 83rd minute.
  • In the 88th minute, Sequeira dove to his right to save a ball that nearly snuck inside the bottom corner. Moments later, senior defender Zeron Sewell blocked a shot with his chest to save another goal.
  • North Carolina out-shot VCU 5-0 in overtime, but the Rams back line held the Tar Heels without a shot on goal in the extra periods.
 
QUOTING HEAD COACH DAVE GIFFARD
"I was very proud of the guys for what they gave this weekend. After playing so many minutes down a man on Thursday and without several players in the front half, we fought and showed tremendous character against an excellent team.

To come here and get a win and a draw against Wake and UNC is an excellent start to a very long journey. We have a lot to learn as a team and to improve on as we move forward, but our character was exceptional and we showed real grit tonight."
 
UP NEXT
The Rams continue their four-game road stretch to open the season with a 7 p.m. match at FIU on Saturday, Sept. 4.
 
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