RADFORD, Va. – The Radford men's soccer team fell, 4-0, to 17
th-ranked JMU despite a strong first half performance at Cupp Stadium on Friday night.
"JMU are a really good team and their experience and maturity showed in the second half," said Head Coach
Chris Barrett. "I was really pleased with our first effort and execution to the game plan. We have to be more disciplined in how we approach the game and be able to solve pressure situations on both sides of the ball. This will be a great learning opportunity for our young guys as we continue to improve every day."
The Highlanders went toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in the nation and did it without fear, battling to a scoreless draw through 45 minutes. The highlight of the half may have come in the 41
st minute when junior goalkeeper
Alex Eydelman made a huge save.
JMU drew a foul just outside the 18-yard box and had a premium opportunity for a set piece goal. Yanis Lelin fired a low, screaming shot into the bottom left corner but Eydelman was up to the task and made a fantastic diving stop.
For the first four minutes of the second half, it was more of the same as Radford came up big to stop the driving Dukes. It wasn't until the 50
th minute that the visitors finally broke through.
The Dukes then doubled their lead in the 53
rd minute and added to it with goals in the 70
th and 72
nd minute.
Even in a contest that was physical from the beginning and even got chippy at times, Coach Barrett's side played hard and showed a quality that is sure to lead to better results in the future.
KEY STATS
- The Highlanders got off seven shots, with Alex Kryazhev and Griffin Gyurci accounting for two each
- Eydelman ended the match with fives saves, the most in his career since stopping nine shots against Elon during the 2021 season
- JMU keeper Sebastian Conlon was forced to make three saves of his own
UP NEXT
Radford hosts yet another in-state rival as the Old Dominion Monarchs visit Cupp Stadium on Friday, Sept. 8. The match is slated for a 7 p.m. start and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
FOLLOW RADFORD MEN'S SOCCER
For more information on the Radford men's soccer team, follow @RadfordMSOC on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Men's Soccer on Facebook.
