BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — Charlie Naylor’s first career goal propelled the West Virginia Wesleyan men’s soccer team to a 2-1 win over Wheeling at Ross Field on Sunday (Feb. 21). The victory was head coach Gavin Donaldson’s 350th win as the WVWC head coach. Donaldson has 392 wins over his entire collegiate coaching career.
After a scoreless first half, the Bobcats struck first early in the second half. After Javier De Ona Garcia was taken down in the box, senior captain Andrew Polychroniadis calmly stepped up to the spot and knocked home the penalty kick for a 1-0 advantage.
After missing the entire 2019 season due to injury this was Polychroniadis’ first time on the pitch since 2018.
“It felt great,” Polychroniadis said. “Definitely happy to be out there and happy with the result today.”
After an unsuccessful clearance by freshman goalkeeper Ryan Havrilla, Wheeling forward Miguel Martin equalized the match in the 63rd minute.
With time running down in the second half, Donaldson called upon sophomore Charlie Naylor in the 75th minute as a late substitute. 12 minutes later, off a set-piece from the corner, Naylor found the ball on his foot and had no trouble putting it in the back of the net.
“Early in the half I was telling the boys on the bench if I come on that I’m going to score a corner,” Naylor said. “When I saw Javier [De Ona Garcia] taking the corner, the ball flowed up for me to just smash it in the net.”
The go-ahead goal was all that was needed to put away the Cardinals in the remaining moments of regulation.
“The rhythm was off overall,” Donaldson said. “That interrupted play at times, but there are some promising things from this good group of players. That’s a good game to start the spring.”
Bobcat men’s soccer is scheduled to be back in action next Sunday (Feb.28) against Concord at 2 p.m. at Ross Field.
Photos from the match by My Buckhannon’s Brian Bergstrom:
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