ATLANTA – Centre men's soccer advanced to their third consecutive Southern Athletic Association Championship Friday, defeating Millsaps by a 3-0 margin at Oglethorpe Field.
The three-seed Colonels (14-4-1) got a pair of early goals to separate themselves from seven-seed Millsaps (4-13-1), which was coming off a quarterfinal upset over Rhodes.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Centre scored early off the boot of
Jacob Haddad, who got service in from
Alexander Garuba and put the Colonels up in the 6th minute.
- Millsaps wasn't without its chances early, gaining a few corner opportunities that were negated by
Bailey Spade and the Centre defense.
- Soon after,
Royce Pope won the Colonels a penalty kick on a foul from Millsaps' Gabriel Ryce. Garuba lined up and put away his 17th goal of the season, despite Major goalie Alfie Miller getting a touch on the ball.
- The early scores proved enough, as Centre held Millsaps without a goal the entire 90 minutes.
- Garuba would add another tally in the 85th minute to ice the victory from an assist by the keeper Spade.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Garuba's two goals gives him 18 for the year, second in program history for a single season.
- Spade notched his 14th clean sheet of the season, finishing with two saves in the victory.
- Centre had 13 total shots to Millsaps' eight (7-2 SOG).
UP NEXT
Centre will face top-seeded Oglethorpe in Sunday's championship at 1 p.m. ET. The Stormy Petrels defeated Berry in overtime of their semifinal, 3-2.
