Men's Soccer Endures OT Loss in Hard-Fought Matchup

In Short: The Sea Devils powered through an exciting matchup against Patrick & Henry, but were unable to finish the fight as the Patriots capped off the match 0-1 in overtime play.

Highlights:

Cape Fear Men's Soccer stepped onto the pitch at North Campus Soccer Field ready for revenge after their most recent encounter on the road against the Patrick & Henry Patriots just a few weeks prior. The intensity was high as soon as the match kicked off - which comes as no surprise given the standard of tenacity Head Coach Dave Martin instills in every practice and game.

The Patriots played a physical game on both sides of the ball and held solid ground against the Sea Devils' offensive runs through the midfield. Leadership in the backfield by Goalkeeper Matthew Baker and Sophomore Captain Caleb Woodard kept spirits high and organization intact. Brooks Carpenter made a few key defensive stops throughout the match while Benny Hernandez-Pacheco applied necessary pressure in spots where the Patriots attempted to push through.

Giuseppe Marturano, Isaac Puente-Castro, and Saul Juarez all made incredible runs - both on the offensive side and in applying pressure when the ball was in their attacking end - to support their team.

Patrick & Henry kept the Sea Devils honest on the attack and challenged Cape Fear to break out of their defensive shape, but the Sea Devils stood their ground and did not allow any goals through the entirety of regulation play. Marcello Afonso, usually on the forward line, made an appearance in the backfield to assist in the success of their defensive structure.

"After giving up goals in crucial moments this year, I challenged the boys to defend with passion and organization," says Coach Dave Martin. "I'm proud of how the players defended today."

Unfortunately for the Sea Devils, the Patriots were able to score in overtime play and finish off the hard-fought match with a win. While this was not the result Cape Fear had hoped for, the effort and level of skill were high throughout the match as they look forward to wrapping up the regular season in the coming weeks.

"Great atmosphere at our home field today," says Coach Martin. "We went toe to toe with a great team…the players put on a good show and our community in Wilmington is recognizing it."

Up Next: The Sea Devils will travel to Denmark Tech on Monday, October 10th at 3PM in Denmark, SC.