ATLANTA – Centre men's soccer advanced to their fourth consecutive Southern Athletic Association Tournament championship match Friday evening, defeating Millsaps, 2-0, in the semifinal round played at Oglethorpe.
 
The Colonels improve to 15-3-1 overall with their ninth consecutive victory, reaching the event's finale in search of their fourth conference tournament championship and third in the past four seasons.
 
Millsaps ends its season at 7-10 overall.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- Centre scored just 10 minutes into Friday's affair, as Royce Pope beat his defender and fed a low cross to Alexander Garuba for the striker's 18th goal of the season.
- The Colonels kept the pressure going the rest of the first half, in which they totaled 16 shots.
- Will Newton doubled Centre's lead late in the period, settling a loose ball and sending it upper-90 from outside the 18-yard box. The goal with just 19 seconds remaining was his sixth of the year.
- Centre maintained a similar advantage in total shots in the second half, although it wouldn't hit the back of the net. A late save from Tate Johnson preserved the 2-0 margin.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Colonels had more shots (28-7) and shots on goal (13-2) than the Majors, while recording a 5-1 advantage in corner kick opportunities.
- Garuba continued his recent tear, having scored in eight straight contests.
- Centre's 15 victories are the most since a 15-4-3 finish in 2012.
 
UP NEXT
Centre meets a familiar foe in Oglethorpe. The Colonels and Stormy Petrels have met in each of the last two SAA Tournament finales, including last season's penalty kick thriller that sent Centre to the NCAA Tournament.