Wilmington, NC - Cape Fear men's soccer rallied in the second half to tie Wake Tech Community College 2-2 on Wednesday.
The Eagles of Wake Tech scored in the 41st and 49th minutes, but the Sea Devils weren't deterred.
The team got one back in the 53rd minute after forcing a penalty. Aidan Smith slotted the penalty kick into the net for his first of the season. Smith was strong throughout the game as well, controlling the midfield and dominating the 50/50 balls.
Then, leading goal scorer Charles Basse, who played through an injury picked up earlier in the game, leveled the score in the 64th minute off an assist from Sam Bell. Basse poached Wake Tech's defense and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper. It is Basse's 11th goal of the season, which currently ranks third for most goals in Region 10 this season.
Additionally, DaShaun Brown had a strong performance, bringing energy that was needed.
The coaching staff was pleased with the comeback and the team's play.
"This is what I've been waiting for, the team played a great game," said assistant coach McCartney Barrier. "They pressed as a unit and everybody was playing with confidence. We let in two goals that could have been avoided, but we didn't let that stop us. I was still confident when we went into halftime down by one goal. We kept our composure and started being more creative. Unfortunately the rain cut the game short."
Head coach C.W. Ponton, meanwhile, felt his team played well despite a lot of unexpected circumstances.
"This was one of the craziest games I've ever coached between injuries, fluke goals, and being called off due to weather," said Ponton. "The weather is really making a negative impact on our season, but I was extremely confident we were going to win the game if it wasn't called off. We had them on their heels and were lead by Aidan Smith. Keeping our players safe is the top priority, but it's a shame we had to finish in a draw."
The Sea Devils move to 4-4-1 on the season and in conference play. Their next game is scheduled for Friday, October 12th, where they will travel to face USC Sumter at 3:00 p.m.
Courtesy of Nick Denning
