Men's Soccer Endures Loss to #15 Opponent

In Short: The Sea Devils fell to #15 Patrick Henry Patriots on the road.

Highlights:

Cape Fear Men's Soccer traveled to Axton, VA to take on Region 10 Conference leader Patrick & Henry. The Sea Devils were looking forward to facing another competitive conference opponent after their encounter with Louisburg earlier on in the week - ending in a hard-fought tie game.

The Sea Devils hit the ground running early on as they dominated possession for the majority of the first 15 minutes of play. Cape Fear went up 1-0 with a goal from Freshman Isaac Puente-Castro with an assist from offensive standout and returning Sophomore Marcello Afonso.

However, the Patriots were able to regain some momentum as a questionable call forced a Penalty Kick against the Sea Devils midway through the first half. This initial spark of opportunity for the Patriots snowballed as the Sea Devils were unable to regain momentum. Patrick & Henry capitalized on a few unforced errors by the Sea Devils to finish the first half 1-3.

"This is why Patrick & Henry competes for National Championships year in and year out," remarks Head Men's Soccer Coach Dave Martin. "So devastated by not being able to finish against the best team we played all year. Soccer is a game of momentum and we had it for 43 minutes, but lost it in a flash."

The Patriots kept the Sea Devils honest for the entirety of the second half to finish the match 1-4. While it was unfortunate to lose out after playing so in-sync for most of the first half, the Sea Devils take this as a learning opportunity and are looking forward to growing as a team through this adversity.

"In my first year leading this program, I've learned so much today and I'm grateful for this result," reflects Coach Dave Martin. "We will remember this game moving forward."

Up Next: Cape Fear Men's Soccer faces Denmark Tech at North Campus Soccer Field today, September 26th at 3PM.