RailHawks Win First Scrimmage
carolinarailhawks.com
As the sun set on Wake Med soccer park, the Carolina RailHawks kicked off the preparation for their sophomore season in the USL-1. The Spartans of UNC Greensboro traveled to WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary to take on the RailHawks in the first pre-season game of the 2008 season.
Things got started off quickly Friday evening, as ten minutes into the game; the RailHawks had already equaled the total amount of goals scored in last year’s pre-season schedule. In the first minute, Jacob Coggins slid a pass to Joel Bailey in the box, and Bailey punched it in for the first goal of the match. Coggins provided an instant spark up front, with Joel Bailey and Martin Nuñez. The RailHawks forwards were fast and aggressive against a UNCG defense that struggled to contain them early.
“I was happy with the good start tonight,” said RailHawks Head Coach Scott Schweitzer. “We were able to put away some good chances and played with energy and professionalism. We still have a lot of work to do but overall this was an impressive start.”
Coggins’ hustle was rewarded in the fifth minute, when he was able to put home a rebound from a blistering shot by David Lilly. The RailHawks continued to pile the pressure on UNCG in the first ten minutes, when Coggins tallied his second goal. Lilly sent in a beautiful cross off of a corner kick, and Coggins was able to beat his defender and place a header past, Spartan goalkeeper, Chad Janda, to put the RailHawks ahead 3-0.
Starting goalkeeper Chris McClellan didn’t have to do much early on, but put a stop to a couple dangerous opportunities from the Spartans. Throughout the first half, the RailHawks moved the ball well and did a superb job of communicating with each other.
The RailHawks picked up where they left off in the second half, when Marc-Herold Gracien lobbed an unbelievable ball from the right sideline that somehow found the back of the net. With the RailHawks up 4-0 in the second half, RailHawks Head Coach Scott Schweitzer and his coaching staff were able to get a look at some unsigned players, and got everyone in the rotation.
Nathan Zuzga finished the scoring for the RailHawks in the 74th minute, when he scored on yet another rebound to make the game 5-0. The RailHawks stayed aggressive on defense, and were able to earn a clean sheet in their first pre-season game.
Next the RailHawks will host Campbell University on Tuesday, March 25th at 7:00 PM at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. Then, the RailHawks will take on Claudio Reyna, Juan Pablo Angel, and Jozy Altidore when the New York Red Bulls come to WakeMed Soccer Park, for the RailHawks third pre-season game on Friday March 28th at 7:30 PM at WakeMed Soccer Park.
