Railsplitters Advance To SAC Semifinals With 2-1 Win Over Mars Hill College
November 5, 2008
Photo by Ray WelchHARROGATE, TN - The Lincoln Memorial University men's soccer team earned the right to defend its 2007 South Atlantic Conference Tournament title on Wednesday afternoon with a 2-1 win over the Lions of Mars Hill College in the quarterfinals of the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament.
The Railsplitters got on the board first in the 16th minute of the match when junior Pedro Canineu (Sorocaba, Brazil) caught an overstruck corner kick and placed it in the box. Teammate Brito Martins (Sorocaba, Brazil) then headed the ball past Lions' keeper Sean Merfeld to put LMU on top 1-0.
Just before the half, the LMU men struck again. This time is was All-American defender Felipe Nogueira (Uberaba, Brazil) who bent a direct kick around the wall and into the left side of the net to give the Railsplitters a 2-0 advantage.
Trailing 2-0 late in the match, Mars Hill's only score of the day came on a penalty kick following a hard LMU foul in the box. MHC's Troy Cole placed a blast toward the left side of the net which Railsplitter goalkeeper Michael Watkins (Statesville, NC) got a hand on but could not stop. The goal cut the LMU lead to one but the Lions eventually fell short and end the year at 10-9.
The No. 4 seed Railsplitters, now 11-6-2, are set to take on No. 1 seed Tusculum College on Friday afternoon at 6:00 p.m. in Rock Hill, South Carolina in the conference semifinals. Should LMU emerge victorious Friday afternoon, the Railsplitters would try to run the table by winning Sunday's championship match against the winner of the No. 7 seed Lenoir-Rhyne College verses No. 6 seed Wingate University match which is also set for Friday.
