CONWAY, S.C. – Despite a late second half goal from senior Jordie Hughes (Victoria, B.C./Spectrum) and holding a 24-6 advantage in shots, Coastal Carolina men’s soccer team (3-6-1, 0-2 Big South) lost a heartbreaker to conference rival Radford (6-3, 3-0 Big South) on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 4

The first half was a scoreless as the two goalkeepers Coastal’s sophomore Aaron Weant (Morrisville, N.C./Green Hope) and Radford’s senior Omar Zinoveev kept the game unblemished. The Chanticleers did hold a 7-2 advantage in shots at the intermission, including a 4-0 advantage in shots on goal.

After the break, Radford took an early lead as junior Jonathan Smith followed up a cross that could not be controlled by the new Coastal keeper Ryan Nowak (Katy, Texas/Katy (UNC Greensboro) and one touched it from the center of the box into the back of the net to give the Highlanders the early 1-0 lead (51:38).

Coastal attempted a quick comeback (53:27) but senior Hughes’ shot, after he beat the Radford defense down the field, hit off the crossbar and bounded away.

After a goalie change by the Chants, back to Weant, Radford added to its lead as Smith scored his second goal of the game on a header off the cross from Paul Caurso (54:56).

Coastal again was on the attack facing a two-goal deficit ((57:04) but the shot by sophomore Dominic Rossi (Kellyville, Australia/Oakhill College (Macquarie)) was saved by Zinoveev for Radford. Coastal again was on the attack moments later (59:01) but senior Joseph’s Kabwe’s (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe/Sakubva (Lindsey Wilson) shot went just wide.

CCU attacked continued as freshman Brad Stisser (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Highlands Ranch) had two shots go wide on back to back possessions. (71:51).

Shots by sophomores Kevin Van Den Berg (Wyoming, Mich./Grandville) and Lachlan Cahill (Kiama, Australia/Kiama) were blocked and went wide on back to back possessions for Coastal (80:47).

Just when time began to run thin (87:10), Hughes found the back of the net off the corner kick and feed from Cahill and Kabwe, with a header, to cut the deficit to a single goal.

The action in the last 2:50 was frantic, as the Chants attempted to send the game into overtime. Hughes’ shot attempt (87:25) was blocked by the Radford defense. CCU would get one more chance to tie the game, but Rossi's attempt to score in the bottom left corner was snuffed out by Zinoveev (87:44) to maintain the 2-1 Highlanders victory.

For the game Coastal outshot the Highlanders 24-6 while holding a 8-3 advantage in shots on goal. The loss drops Nowak to 3-3 on the season, while Zinoveev improved his record to 6-1 on the campaign.

With his goal, Hughes moves into tie for fourth place all-time in goals (40) with former Chant Hilmar Arnason.

Next Coastal Carolina’s men’s soccer team travels to Rock Hill, S.C. to take on Winthrop at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct 7. The team then continues it road swing by taking on non-conference foe Davidson at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 9.