Saturday, November 20, 2004

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. --- For the second time in four years the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville men’s soccer team is headed to the Final Four of NCAA Division II after outlasting Tusculum 3-2 in quarterfinal action on Saturday night at Korte Stadium. (Box Score)

The Cougars, 18-2-2, will play University of North Carolina-Pembroke in national semifinals on Dec. 2 in Wichita Falls, Texas. Tusculum ended its season at 17-3-2.

Sophomore John Matthews netted two goals to lead SIUE to the victory. Matthews scored at the 24:45 mark as he lifted the ball over the head of Pioneer goalkeeper J.P. Swaminathan from 25 yards out. He would tally his second goal just 5:40 later on a redirect of a Victor Pacheco corner kick to give SIUE a 2-0 lead.

Tim Collico got the match-winner, his sixth goal of the year, with 2:56 left in the first half off a nice pass from Ross Beveridge to extend the Cougar lead.

Just 52 seconds later Tusculum would cut into the lead as Gareth Williams netted his seventh goal of the year.

The Pioneers would throw a second-half flurry at the Cougars getting a goal at the 88:15 mark by Justin Vanmatre, but Nicolas Frasca and the SIUE defense shut the door preserving the victory. Frasca made six saves in the contest for his 10th win of the season.