BUIES CREEK, N.C. - A pair of second-half goals from freshman Bradley Farias and junior Reafe Anderson were the difference as Campbell earned its second-straight Big South victory with a 3-1 win over Presbyterian on Saturday evening at the Eakes Athletics Complex.
The Camels move to 5-8-0 on the season and have a 2-3-0 mark in conference play. Presbyterian falls to 1-11-0 and 0-6-0 in the Big South.
"For us, it's not about our next opponent," Head Coach Steve Armas said following the match. "It's about what we do to continue to get better. We were able to get the win tonight and as far as momentum goes, that always helps."
Campbell owned a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal and a 9-6 lead in corner kicks in the contest. Goalkeepers Matthew Mozynski and Johnny Archer each made four saves on the night, with the Blue Hose posting two more saves as a team.
Farias nearly gave the Camels an early advantage just over five minutes into the match. Catching Archer out of position, the freshman fired a shot at the empty net that was deflected out of play by a Presbyterian defender.
The Blue Hose narrowly missed a goal in the 19th minute off the head of Mason Lewis. His header off a cross took a high angle, but Mozynski was able to bat it away before it crossed the line to maintain the early stalemate.
Cade Crow netted the first goal of the match and Presbyterian's first non-penalty kick goal of the season at the 33:14 mark. Brett Godwin played in a cross that was headed down by Lewis to Crow on the right side, who beat Mozynski to the bottom left corner for the 1-0 lead.
Campbell needed just 30 seconds to find the equalizer and pull even. A shot from Farias was deflected high by a Presbyterian defender, setting up sophomore Julian Santia with a corner kick from the right side. Santia hooked up with freshman Travis Gonzalez inside the box, and Gonzalez headed it home for the first goal of his collegiate career with 33:44 on the clock.
Both sides had chances in the final 10 minutes of the first frame with three shots apiece, but none were on target as the two sides carried a 1-1 draw into the halftime break.
The Camels came out of the locker room with four shots on goal in the first 25 minutes of the half. Sophomore Tunji Osifeso, senior Scooter Oliver and freshmen Farias and Marco Perez peppered Archer but could not break through for the go-ahead score.
Farias came away with what would prove to be the match-winner at the 73:33 mark on a combo play with Osifeso and Anderson. Osifeso sent a pass in to Anderson from the right side of the 18-yard box, and the junior flipped a second pass to Farias who was open on the left. The freshman found the bottom right corner of the net for his ninth goal of the season to give Campbell a 2-1 lead.
"My freshman season is going great," Farias said. "The team is getting good results, and I just hope to keep improving alongside the team. Right now we've got good morale on the team and we're just going to keep fighting."
Perez nearly added to the scoreline with a blast from outside the box in the 82nd minute, striking the crossbar on a well-hit ball. Presbyterian's Chase Fearon tested Mozynski for the final time in the 88th minute, but his shot sailed into the freshman's arms to end the danger.
The Camels got their final goal of the night off the foot of Anderson at 88:06. The junior passed off to Farias who had a run up the left side, then found his position in the center of the box for a one-timer strike to the bottom right off Farias' assist for the final 3-1 score.
Campbell will return to action with another Big South rivalry match as High Point makes the trip to Buies Creek next Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. The Camels lead the all-time series against the Panthers 10-6-3, but will be seeking their first victory in the series since a 2-1 win on Oct. 17, 2012.
