ATLANTA – Centre men's soccer advanced to the Southern Athletic Association Tournament finale for the sixth season in a row Friday, flattening Sewanee by a 4-0 margin at Oglethorpe University.
 
The Colonels improve to 9-5-3 overall and are unbeaten in five consecutive matches. The Tigers, which played Centre to a draw during the regular season, finishes 2021 with an 8-6-3 mark.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- Centre's familiar postseason spark came out in the 28th minute, when Sota Ippongi assisted Nafiz Budeiri for the opening goal of the match. It was the senior's second goal of the season.
- Less than ten minutes later, Budeiri was taken down inside the box to draw a penalty kick. Dylan Barth stepped up and slotted home his fourth goal of the season to double Centre's lead.
- Sewanee collected a handful of corner kick opportunities during the opening stages of the second half, but failed to put any shots on target.
- Centre solidified its lead in the 72nd minute as Nathan Wilcox converted on an assist from Budeiri for his team-leading eighth goal of the campaign.
- Ippongi put the finishing touches on the rout in the 75th minute on an unassisted score – his sixth this season.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Centre held a slight 15-14 edge in total shots taken, but the Tigers only put four on target – all of which were saved by Haydon Korfhage. Sewanee held a sizeable 11-2 advantage in corner kicks.
- Ippongi led the team with four shots, while Wilcox and Ryan Roussel finished with three apiece.
 
UP NEXT
Centre takes on the winner of Oglethorpe and Birmingham-Southern Sunday at 1 p.m. The Colonels are seeking their fourth SAA Tournament title in the last six seasons.