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The Hampden-Sydney College soccer team dropped its first game of the season, 3-2, on the road at Averett University on Wednesday evening in Danville. The Cougars scored the game-winner with just 1:15 left to play after being down 2-0. The Tigers move to 1-1 overall on the season, while Averett improves to 2-2.

The first half saw H-SC take the first shot of the contest at 14:40 when freshman Emory Davis/Palmyra had his attempt blocked. The Tigers fired two more shots in less than two minutes by sophomores Declan Shaw/Durham, NC and Stefan Ngoh/Goldvein, respectively, both being saved by the Cougars’ goalie. Junior Josiah King/South Boston broke through the scoreless tie for H-SC at 29:10 after taking a long pass from freshman Jack Delaney/Virginia Beach to beat the keeper low in the box.
Averett was able to fire two shots in the first half, both saved by senior Ian Fitzgerald/Newport News. The Tigers led at the intermission, 1-0.

Ngoh would give H-SC a 2-0 lead after intercepting a pass by the Averett goalie and sending a shot low and into the net at 58:01. The Cougars tied the score just over 10 minutes later with a pair of goals. Both teams played even for the next 20 minutes before a spin and shot by an Averett forward with 1:15 remaining gave the home team a 3-2 lead. The Cougars played the ball away for the final one-plus minute to hold off the Tigers.

Fitzgerald played all 90 minutes, making seven saves.

H-SC will stay on the road for its next game at Mary Baldwin University on Saturday, September 11, in Staunton. The game with the Fighting Squirrels is scheduled for 3 p.m.