ROCKINGHAM — Erasing an early deficit Wednesday, the Richmond Senior High School boys’ soccer team was 90 seconds away from its second straight win.
Instead, a late equalizer in a home non-conference match ended in a 2-2 draw with Terry Sanford High School.
Trailing by a goal in the first half, Richmond managed to tie the match and carry a 1-1 tie into halftime.
The Raiders scored a goal early in the second half and held the lead until the Bulldogs knotted the score with 1:28 to play.
Scoring for Richmond were junior Kevin Diaz Lopez and senior Elen Fonseca Garcia. Diaz Lopez netted his second goal in as many matches this week.
“We started slow tonight through the first 20 minutes and got unlucky on a bounce that led to their first goal,” head coach Chris Larsen said. “Playing behind the eight ball didn’t stop the guys from correcting some mistakes and continuing to play well the rest of the night.
“We started moving the ball around pretty well and the tide shifted in our favor. Once we were able to tie it up, we played much better and carried that momentum into the second half.
“The second goal from Elen was well-placed on the PK after we were able to get into the danger zone and get fouled,” Larsen continued. “That little mental mistake in the last two minutes, sometimes that’s the difference and that was the case tonight.”
An early mistake by Richmond’s back row led to Terry Sanford’s first-half goal in the second minute. A hand ball in the box awarded the Bulldogs a penalty kick, which beat junior goalkeeper Eric Legrand.
That was the first of many shots Legrand faced in the opening 40 minutes, the rest of which he saved. He made a 1v1 stop in the 10th minute and fell on a skipping shot from outside the box in the 13th minute.
Junior Patrick Smith had the Raiders’ first quality look on goal in the 18th minute when he sent a cross from sophomore Alan Franco just over the crossbar.
A save by Legrand on a trickler into the box led to Richmond’s equalizing goal in the 21st minute. Legrand cleared the ball and Richmond possessed the ball across midfield.
Junior Cole Lambeth connected a pass to Diaz Lopez on the counterattack. Using his speed, Diaz Lopez got around the last defender and sent a rocket into the net from just inside the top of the 18-yard box.
The 1-1 tie held for the final 19 minutes of the half. Diaz Lopez nearly scored on an identical run less than a minute later but his shot was wide left.
Legrand stayed busy between the posts the remainder of the half, but did his job to keep Richmond in the game.
Among his numerous stops were two saves in quick succession in the box in the 27th minute, as well as a save on a free kick that junior center back Brian Griffith got an initial foot on to slow it down.
Just before the break, Legrand made a diving one-handed deflection on a cross through the keeper’s box, steering the ball wide of the back post.
Richmond’s offensive attack upped its intensity to start the second half and like the Bulldogs in the match’s opening minutes, got a free look on net.
Franco was fouled from behind in the box, which awarded Richmond a penalty kick. Fonseca Garcia, the team’s PK specialist, blasted the ball to his right and into the net as the keeper fell away in the opposite direction.
The goal gave Richmond a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.
Terry Sanford (1-2-1) managed to sneak a goal past Legrand in the 79th minute when a close-range opportunity along the back post came after the Raiders failed to clear a ball out of the middle of the field.
“We proved to ourselves tonight that we have the ability to play well,” Larsen closed. “It’s just a matter of bringing the same intensity every night.
“I told the guys we have to have a short memory and get ready to play another quality team tomorrow.”
The Raiders (1-3-1) close out their three match week on the road Thursday at Ballantyne Ridge High School (2-1-2). The non-conference match is slated for 7 p.m.
JV Raiders collect third-straight win
The Richmond junior varsity boys’ soccer team used a big first half Wednesday to earn its third straight victory.
Hosting the JV Bulldogs, the JV Raiders cruised to a 6-0 victory. Richmond scored five of those goals in the opening 35 minutes.
Sophomore JaVeion Littlejohn scored two goals to lead the team. Adding one goal apiece were sophomore Jayden Scire and freshmen Kingston Gil, Mason Huff and Alan Santiago.
Freshman Nate Erwin was credited with two assists and fellow freshman Kaleb Hairston had one assist.
“This was another good team win tonight,” head coach Jessi Weigman said. “This was the best match we’ve played so far this season, especially in terms of our ability to connect passes.
“Everyone got some playing time and I’m proud of the five players who scored. I’m happy for Jayden because he does so many of the little things that go unnoticed, and he was rewarded with a goal.”
Thursday will also see the JV Raiders (4-1) make the trip west to Ballantyne Ridge. The match will start at 5:15 p.m.
