Tuesday, November 1, 2005

 

NO. 6 LENOIR-RHYNE BEATS NO. 3 TUSCULUM 5-2, BEARS ADVANCE IN SAC MEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT

 

                GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Robert Hajnal recorded two goals and an assist as No. 6 Lenoir-Rhyne College defeated third-seeded Tusculum College 5-2 at Pioneer Field in the opening round of the 2005 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Tournament. (Box Score)

 

                With the victory, the Bears (13-6-2) avenge an earlier loss to Tusculum and advance to Friday's SAC Tournament semifinal against No. 2 seed Catawba College at 3 p.m.  The Food Lion SAC Tournament semifinal and final will be played on the campus of Wingate University this weekend.

 

                Tusculum, the defending SAC Tournament Champion, falls in the opening round for the first time since 2001.  The Pioneers (11-6-1), ranked third in this week's NCAA Division II Appalachian Region rankings, now waits to learn its postseason fate next week.

 

                Lenoir-Rhyne jumped out in front early when Adam Goldie found the back of the net off a free kick from 25 yards out three minutes into the match.

 

                The score remained 1-0 until 36 seconds remaining before halftime when Tusculum's Dave Bailey, the 2005 SAC Freshman of the Year, tallied the equalizer on his 15th goal of the season.

 

                The Bears tallied two goals in the first four minutes of the second period.  The first came at the 47:58 mark when Shawn Brunk scored from the right wing.  Hajnal (All-SAC Second Team) accounted for the eventual match-winner two minutes later as the found the back of the goal to make the score 3-1.

 

                Tusculum drew within on as Jay Harris (All-SAC First Team) scored on a breakaway pass from Kohei Yamashita in the 69th minute.  Hajnal added his second goal of the night and sixth of the year when he scored a breakaway goal, which was assisted by Nate Whitehurst at the 74:23 mark.  The Bears closed out the scoring in the final minute as Alex Maric scored off an assist by Hajnal to seal the win.

 

                L-R keeper Jonathan Sandlin went the distance as he recorded three saves, while TC net-minder J.P. Swaminathan accounted for two saves in the loss.

 

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