SEWANEE, Tenn. - The Centre men's soccer team secured a home game in the upcoming Southern Athletic Association Tournament by coming from behind to defeat the Sewanee Tigers by a score of 3-1.
Centre improved to 11-4-1 on the year and their four consecutive match victories gave them a record of 4-2-1 in conference play, good to earn the no. 3 seed in the SAA standings. Sewanee fell to 7-8-1 on the year and 2-5 in conference play, setting up a quarterfinal rematch next week at Amend Field.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Sewanee came out as the aggressors early, outshooting the Colonels 5-1 in the opening minutes and getting on the board first on a goal by Kyle Johnston.
- The tide turned midway through the first half when
Bailey Spade saved a header attempt by Bobby Zolper and the Colonels capitalized a minute later as
Will Newton found
Royce Pope for his fourth goal of the season, tying the score at 1-1.
- Centre quickly took the lead as just two minutes later,
Ethan Noel scored what proved to be the game winner to put the Colonels on top.
- The Colonels controlled the second half, limiting Sewanee to just one shot on goal, which Spade denied early in the period.
- In the middle of the second half, reigning SAA Offensive Player of the Week
Alexander Garuba put home his league-leading 13th goal of the season to effectively ice the match for Centre.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The win over Sewanee marked the first time all season long that the Colonels had won a match while surrendering a goal.
- Despite the early Tiger tally, Spade continued to do excellent work in goal, finishing with four saves, including a key stop of a header by Sewanee with five seconds left until halftime.
- The Colonels were out-shot 13-5 in the first half, but Centre calmed things down in the second half as shots were even at 6-6. Sewanee also held a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.
NEXT UP
Before the SAA Tournament, Centre men's soccer will have one more match to wrap up the regular season as the Colonels play host to Thomas More on Monday evening.
