Freshman midfielder Robel Teshome of the LaGrange College men's soccer team scored the game-winner and his first collegiate goal in the 80th minute during a 2-1 triumph over Warren Wilson Sunday afternoon on senior day at Panther Field.
The Panthers (7-5-1, 2-3-1 USA South) honored their nine seniors prior to their final game of the 2021 fall season against the Owls (0-13-0). Seniors Lucas Wright, Evan Sampers, Jordan Coppola, Asher Hendon, Joao Santos, Dawson Davis, Serik Rosencrants, Alex Tucker and Noah Stanford were recognized for their outstanding dedication to the program.
A goal by Gus Lehrman of Warren Wilson opened the scoring 1:56 into the first half. Sampers evened the score at 1-1 going into halftime on a penalty-kick goal in the 43rd minute, as he picked the top right corner of the net.
With 10:05 left in regulation, Teshome scored the game-deciding goal directly off a corner kick. The Panthers defeated the Owls, 6-0, on Sept. 10 in Asheville, North Carolina, behind a hat trick by junior forward Jaydon Parrish.
On Sunday, LC led the shots category, 30-9, and held a 13-3 advantage in shots on goal. The hosts attempted nine corner kicks, while the visitors were awarded one.
Wright improved to 4-1-0 on the season in net, making two saves. Junior forward Enrique Hernandez and Sampers combined for 13 shots and six on target for the Panthers.
Senior Spotlight:
Lucas Wright - The goalkeeper has recorded 10 wins during his three-year Panther career. Wright won USA Rookie of the Week honors on Sept. 23, 2019. The Bremen, Georgia, native plans to pursue a degree in engineering at either Auburn University or Georgia Tech.
Evan Sampers - Sampers has recorded three assists and one goal in his senior season. He scored two goals, including the game-winner, in a 2-1 double-overtime win at Methodist on Sept. 14, 2019. After graduation, the Buford, Georgia, native plans on attending medical school.
Jordan Coppola - Coppola and his team made school history in 2019 with a program-best 16 USA South points. He also takes pride in winning 10 games during the 2018 season, the most for the program since 1993 and tied for the third most in a single season in school history. The Buford, Georgia, native aspires to work in professional sports, coach soccer, start his own youth soccer club or be an entrepreneur.
Asher Hendon – The Lakeland, Florida, native has tallied seven goals and one assist in his career, while being a phenomenal organizer in the midfield. Hendon's favorites part of being an LC student-athlete were getting to play the sport he loves and having his parents in the stands watching and cheering him on. He plans on attending graduate school for physical therapy and hopes to eventually work in Virginia with veterans.
Joao Santos - Santos scored two goals during the 2019 season. His favorite parts of being a Panther were experiencing the small school environment and playing the sport he loved. Santos plans on going back to Brazil and working in his family business as an orthopedic salesman.
Dawson Davis - Davis has appeared in 47 games and make 18 starts during his career, while recording two assists. He enjoyed playing soccer for four years and getting a stellar education as a Panther student-athlete. Davis hopes to get a job in the logistics industry.
Serik Rosencrants – Rosencrants' favorite part of being a LaGrange student-athlete was being a part of a group that feels like a family. His most memorable moment was meeting Head Coach Ryan Dickson on his visit. After graduation, he plans to further his education with a master's in accounting.
Alex Tucker - Tucker recorded his first collegiate point with an assist during a win over Warren Wilson on Sept. 10. He enjoyed the great balance between athletics and academics and the flexibility of the professors at LC. The Conyers, Georgia, native plans to work with a nonprofit organization and hopes one to day to open his own nonprofit to help veterans.
Noah Stanford - Stanford tallied one goal and one assist during his freshman season. His favorite part of being a student-athlete at LaGrange is the relationships he made with teammates, other students and staff. After graduation, Stanford plans to teach kindergarten, while also working to obtain a master's in education.
Assistant Sports Information Director Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
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