TENNERTON – Caden Andrick scored in the 70th minute of the game to give the Buckhannon-Upshur soccer Bucs a hard-fought 4-4 tie in a chippy and physical home game with the Woodrow Wilson Flying Eagles Saturday afternoon in a non-conference contest.
The Bucs are creating a reputation for second-half comebacks, and today was no exception as Andrick put in the game-tying goal with under 10 minutes remaining in the contest.
Noah Radabaugh set up the score with a centering pass to Andrick, who found the back of the net from 20 yards out.
“I just saw space in the middle of the field and Noah was out wide,” remarked Andrick about his game-tying goal. “I just put a touch on the ball and put it on frame.”
Andrick said it is the closeness of the team that keeps allowing them to have second-half rallies.
“We are a close-knit team and we are always willing to battle for each other and we did that again today,” stated Andrick.”
Buckhannon-Upshur head coach Mike Donato was pleased with how the Bucs responded to the physical nature of Woodrow Wilson. The game saw 19 fouls called between the two teams and two yellow cards issued to Woodrow Wilson.
“We challenged the team at practice yesterday and again during pregame that Woodrow Wilson would come out very physical and we need to match that physicality and intensity, and I feel that not only did we match it but surpassed it for long stretches of the match,” stated Donato.
The Bucs scored first just two minutes into the game when Radabaugh put in a shot from just outside the goal box that deflected off a Flying Eagle defender.
Woodrow Wilson took a 2-1 lead with goals by Carson Eckley and Andre Wright in the fifth and ninth minute.
The Bucs tied it back up in the 11th minute when Jared Brandish scored on a free kick 25 yards out over Woodrow Wilson keeper Josh Farnsworth’s head.
Eckley gave Woodrow Wilson the lead back with a goal in the 16th minute but Radabaugh scored his second of the game after he played a diagonal ball from Cam Carpenter and finished with a shot to the near post.
The first half ended with the game tied at 3-3.
Eckley scored his third goal of the game in the 51st minute, giving Woodrow Wilson a 4-3 lead before Andrick tied the game up in the 70th minute.
“Going in, I was honestly expecting a low-scoring game,” said Donato. “So for this game to turn into a shootout was a bit of a surprise, but we were able to hold our own, and we created some good scoring chances and capitalized on some set pieces. This team continues to grow and play well together. We’ve seen a fighting spirit and unwillingness to quit and that makes me very proud.”
The Bucs owned a 9-7 lead in shots-on-goal and a 7-2 margin in corner kicks.
B-U keeper Dalton Auvil made three saves while the Farnsworth turned away five in net for Woodrow Wilson.
The tie left the Bucs with a 5-4-4 record heading into Tuesday’s home game with Morgantown.
The game will start at 5:30 p.m.
The boxscore:
Woodrow Wilson 3 1 – 4
Buckhannon-Upshur 3 1 – 4
Scoring
Buckhannon-Upshur – Noah Radabaugh (unassisted), 2nd minute.
Woodrow Wilson – Carson Eckley (unassisted), 5th minute.
Woodrow Wilson – Andre Wright (unassisted), 9th minute.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Jared Brandish (unassisted), 11th minute.
Woodrow Wilson – Eckley (unassisted), 16th minute.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Radabaugh (Cam Carpenter assist), 51st minute.
Woodrow Wilson – Eckley (unassisted), 51st minute.
Buckhannon-Upshur – Caden Andrick (Radabaugh assist), 70th minute.
Shots-on-goal – Woodrow Wilson 7; Buckhannon-Upshur 9.
Corner kicks – Woodrow Wilson 2, Buckhannon-Upshur 7.
Fouls – Woodrow Wilson 7; Buckhannon-Upshur 12.
Saves – Woodrow Wilson: Josh Farnsworth 5; Buckhannon-Upshur: Dalton Auvil 3.
