BLACKSBURG, Va. - In interim head coach Leigh Cowlishaw's debut with the Spiders, Richmond men's soccer opened its season in style with a 1-0 win over No. 19 James Madison at Virginia Tech's Hokie Invitational on Friday in Blacksburg.
"Our performance was filled with intensity, effort, desire and belief," said Cowlishaw. We scored a wonderful goal and had another called back. JMU is a great team and this was a small step for our players to learn how to win in challenging circumstances."
2011 leading scorer and local product Timmy Albright (Richmond, Va./Collegiate School) netted the match's lone goal for Richmond (1-0-0) in the eighth minute with a shot to the upper right corner. Senior captain Houston Oldham (Nashville, Tenn./Montgomery Bell Academy) and fellow sophomore Oliver Murphy (Washington Crossing, Pa./The Pennington School) set up what would ultimately become the game-winning goal for Albright.
After a second score by Albright was called back, the Spider backline together with sophomore goalkeeper Thomas Hand (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) would take over from there. The Spiders would hold JMU scoreless for the remainder of the match to send the squad to its first win over the Dukes in 13 years.
Albright was one of five Spiders to record a shot on the night. While JMU (0-1-0) held a 12-5 advantage in the shots column, Richmond was able to create opportunities with its 4-3 edge on corner kicks.
After an impressive rookie campaign, Hand (Mooresville, N.J./Mooresville) returned to the pitch with four saves to open his second year. Dukes keeper Colin Newcity secured a single stop on the evening.
Next up for the Spiders is a Sunday matchup with host Virginia Tech. Kickoff will get underway at 2:30 p.m. at the Hokies' Thompson Field.
Stay updated on this weekend's Hokie Invitational results and all the latest Richmond Soccer news on RichmondSpiders.com and by accessing Spider Athletics' mobile apps on your Smartphone or tablet. Additional coverage can be found by following the team on Facebook and Twitter.
RICHMOND VS. JAMES MADISON
Thompson Field - Blacksburg, Va.
Aug. 24, 2012
Richmond 1 0 - 1
JMU 0 0 - 0
Shots: UR 3 2 - 5, JMU 4 8 -
12
Corner Kicks: UR
4 0 - 4, JMU - 2 1 - 3
Goalkeepers: UR: Hand - 4 SV, 0 GA, 90:00, W; JMU: Newcity - 1 SV, 1 GA, 90:00, L
