Eagles Drop Close One to Spirit at Home

By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media

WALESKA, Ga. - Ottawa (Ariz.) came across country for two games in the RU Invitational this weekend, and the Spirit will be traveling home undefeated in the event after holding off the 24^th-ranked Eagles in a high-scoring affair, 4-3, Saturday in Waleska.

Reinhardt drops below .500 on the early-season slate at 1-2 overall, but the Eagles fell in both games at home recently by only one goal each. The hometown team showed a lot of heart on the pitch on Saturday as the offense rose to the occasion despite a few key pieces missing from action.
 
"It was a quality collegiate soccer match today where both teams put a lot into the game and maintained a high-standard of effort on both sides of the ball," head coach Joey Johnson said. "I would be hard pressed to recall a young team that I have coached that has seen as much adversity early in a season as this one, so I am pleased with our guys rising to the challenge against an experienced OUAZ squad.
 
We are building a foundation of mental strength and unity within our group through the challenging times that will certainly benefit us throughout the course of the season if we embrace the lessons in this early stage of the journey. I am looking forward to what lies ahead for our team."
 
Callum Lees got the crowd in the game as he scored in the fourth minute - the first of his two goals on the day - to give the Eagles a 1-0 advantage. Less than five minutes later, however, Ottawa tied the score at 8:34 on the clock. The scoring trend would continue as the scoreboard bounced back in Reinhardt's favor thanks to Aaron Whitten, who found the back of the net after he assisted on the opening tally.
 
The Spirit would then go on a 2-0 run to end the opening stanza and begin the second half to take their first lead of the afternoon at 3-2 at 49:37.

Lees gathered in a loose ball in the 56^th minute and was able to sneak one by the goalkeeper, and then both teams would battle back-and-forth with opportunities to score, but it was Ottawa who earned the game-winning tally in the final minutes to take the road win.
 
Reinhardt would accumulate 12 shots, including nine on-goal, while Niko Tzevelekos would make two saves in 90 minutes of play.
 
The team comes back home on Sept. 7 in a matchup with Life (Ga.) beginning at 7 p.m.
 
For up-to-the-minute Eagles sports news, follow Reinhardt Athletics on Facebook, @RU_Eagles on Twitter and @ru_eagles on Instagram.

For more information on Reinhardt Men's Soccer, please click here.