BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Campbell remains unbeaten on the season after battling (RV) VCU to a 1-1 draw Wednesday night in non-conference regular season action at Eakes Athletics Complex.
Filipe Matos scored in the first half for Campbell (4-0-2), while the Rams (2-1-2), who are receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches national poll, answered with a second half goal from Lucas White.
"VCU is a good team, year in and year out with a great coaching staff," said Campbell head coach Dustin Fonder. "We knew we were going to have a tough contest on our hands but thats why we schedule these games. These types of non-conference games get you ready for conference play. Even though its tough and we drew, it'll make us better as the season goes on later in the year."
Campbell, ranked #4 in the Atlantic Region, finished with a 12-7 edge in shots, 9-3 in shots on target, and took four corners to two for the visiting Rams.
Matos put the Camels ahead in the 25th minute after Lilian Fichelle squared a cross from the left side to the top of the box. Matos met the ball and fired through traffic, finding the back right center of the net for his team-leading fourth goal of the season.
The Camels took the lead through halftime until White responded in the 50th minute with his first goal of the season, scoring on a cross in from William Hitchcock to bring VCU level. The goal ended a Campbell shutout streak that lasted 488 minutes, marking just the second goal conceded by the CU defense this season.
Just eight minutes later, White had another shot on goal from outside the box that forced Campbell keeper Samy Slimi to punch it away for a corner.
The Camels had their best look of the second half cleared off the line by a VCU defender after Daniel Osei-Tutu crossed from the endline to Luc Lavielle in front of the goal. Lavielle headed the ball straight down where it bounced over the keeper and towards goal before it was cleared away.
"First half I thought we were really good as a group," Fonder stated. "Second half we came out of the locker room a little bit flat. After we got hit in the mouth I thought our response was excellent and we battled the rest of the game. We had chances to win it and didn't, but those will come another night."
Campbell's unbeaten streak through six matches remains the longest to start a season since the 1988 Big South regular season champs opened its campaign with seven straight wins. CU moves to 7-1-2 in its last 10 matches at Eakes dating back to last season.
Campbell hosts Monmouth Saturday at 2PM in its first CAA home match of the season.
