MONTEVALLO, Ala. - Using a first-half goal by South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year Lasse Sohrweide and outscoring ninth-ranked Montevallo, 4-2, in penalty kicks, the fifth-seeded Anderson men's soccer team upset top-seed and host Montevallo in NCAA Super Region III play Friday night at Falcon Field.
Playing their fourth road contest in eight days, the Trojans improved to 15-5-2 on the season, while the Falcons ended their season at 18-3-1. Anderson advances to meet third-seeded Clayton State on Sunday at 2 p.m. EST.
AU, which already set a new school record for wins in a season, has won five in a row and 12 of its last 13 contests, while the Falcons entered the match riding a 10-match unbeaten streak and dropped to 8-3 at home.
The Trojans controlled most of the first half as they out-shot the Falcons 6-2. AU broke through at the 35:13 mark of the match as Sohrweide and Mark Smith used a give-and-go, allowing Sohrweide an open look at the net which he buried past the UM keeper.
The half ended with the Trojans up 1-0 and leading in shots 6-2. The second half was different as the Falcons came out on fire and scored just 1:16 into the period as Nathaniel Foster took the ball down the heart of the pitch and beat the AU defense for a one-on-one with the keeper. He slid the ball past an outstretch Benjamin Pepion to tie the game at one.
Montevallo continued to press but were unable to break through. Late in the period the Trojans had an excellent chance but they were thwarted by UM defender Austin McIntosh (York, England/All Saints) who stopped the ball from crossing the goal line after it made its way past the UM keeper.
The Falcons out-shot Anderson 9-6 in the second half and then used that momentum to out-shoot the Trojans 4-2 in the overtime periods.
After the match went to two overtimes and neither team was able to take the lead the match went to penalty kicks. All four of the AU shooters buried their shots. Junior Phil Jackson was the Falcons second shooter and he stepped up and made his shot but he was then called back because he had not waited for the referees whistle. On his second attempt the shot knocked off the post for the Falcons first miss. Two shooters later, Pepion made a diving save to clinch the win for the Trojans.
The Trojans move into the NCAA's Sweet 16 with the win, setting up a rematch between AU and the Lakers, who shut out the Trojans, 3-0, back on Sept. 4.
