EVANS, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken advanced past Young Harris College 5-4 in a sudden-death shootout win in the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference Men's Soccer Tournament Friday (Nov. 2) evening at Blanchard Woods Park.
The Pacers, who are the first-ever eighth seed to advance to the Sunday's (Nov. 4) 3:30 p.m. title match, improved to 6-5-6. USC Aiken will face the University of Montevallo, which defeated Flagler College 2-0 in the other semifinal contest, in the championship match. The Mountain Lions finished the 2012 season at 14-4-2.
The two teams were forced to penalty kicks when they were tied at 2 through regulation time and two overtime periods.
The two teams would be tied at 4 through the first round of the shootout, forcing sudden death, USC Aiken's Jason King converted his penalty kick; however, Young Harris'
Jonas Sturesson's attempt was turned away by Pacer goalkeeper Brandon Jarosz.
Young Harris had jumped out to a 1-0 lead as he headed the ball into the right corner of the goal in the sixth minute, but USCA tied the match at 1 72 seconds later as Tobias Haenschke headed the ball in the goal off a King cross.
In the 31st minute, USC Aiken would take the lead at 2-1 when Noel Mais rebounded a King shot into the back of the Young Harris net. The Mountain Lions would force the shootout after Pechmann converted a penalty kick with just over 12 minutes in regulation after USC Aiken was whistled for taking down a Young Harris player in the box.
