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Asheville holds off strong effort by SM
Smoky Mountain stunned Asheville with an early goal, but the state's second-ranked 3-A soccer team recovered to take a 5-1 Mountain Athletic Conference victory on Sept. 29 at Carr Hooper Stadium/Babe Howell Field.
The Mustangs decided to be aggressive offensively, which is something they don't often do against such powerhouses as Asheville and Roberson.
"We normally play a team like that in a hunker-down defense, but our kids wanted to play them straight up." Coach Dolphus Brown said. "I did too."
SM struck first when P.J. Arkansas scored eight minutes into the game.
"The ball was kicked around, and P.J. got it on the right side about 12 yards out," Brown said. "Their keeper had come out to play the ball on a previous shot. P.J. went by the keeper and put the ball in the net."
Asheville drew even at the 16-minute mark when Michael Siegel scored off an assist from Nathan Ellis.
"Ellis kicked a line drive into the box, and Siegel put it in from 7 or 8 yards out," the coach said.
The Cougars took control by scoring twice in the final two minutes of the first half for a 3-1 lead. Thomas Righi assisted on both goals.
Siegel scored at the 38-minute mark, and Indy Smith connected a minute later.
"I think our kids felt they were going to go into halftime tied 1-1 then we gave them two quick goals," Brown said.
Asheville scored two goals in the second half. They were by Smith with an assist from Ellis at the 61-minute mark and Warren Hammond with an assist from Glenn Lawson at the 76-minute mark.
The Cougars got off 26 shots to nine by SM. Asheville's Renato Corte made seven saves, and Bryan Newbold recorded 17 for the Mustangs.
The SM JVs defeated Asheville 1-0 marking the first time the Mustangs have ever beaten the Cougars at the JV or varsity level.
Ian Youmans scored the goal.
"That was a huge win for our program," Brown said. "I'm looking forward to that group of guys in a 2-A league next year."
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