Box Score
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Sam Duininck and Tim Harbison each scored goals to lead Liberty University to a 2-0 victory past Longwood University on Friday night in a semifinal of the 2013 Big South Men's Soccer Championship at Bryan Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. Scott Sutarik made five saves toward posting the shutout for the No. 7 Flames (11-8), who advance to play No. 1 seed and nationally-ranked No. 12 Coastal Carolina (16-4) in the tournament final on Sunday, November 17 at 2 p.m. The No. 3 Lancers have completed their 2013 campaign with a final record of 7-9-4.
"I'm very proud of this team and the way this season has gone," said ninth-year Longwood mentor and Big South Coach of the Year,
Jon Atkinson. "While it is always disappointing that it has to end, there has been many positives and we can use this setback for future success. To get into the semifinals was a great experience that the lads can cherish as building blocks for next season.
"The game tonight was a very entertaining encounter, which I thought we controlled large parts, but we just didn't have enough craft in the final third to unlock a very well organized and determined Liberty outfit. The second goal was critical, and while I don't want to dwell on it … at 1-0, I felt we had a good chance the way we were possessing. Liberty is worthy victors overall and we wish them every success from here on out, and we will live to fight another day. Go Lancers!"
Liberty took an early 1-0 lead when Duininck converted a header attempt on a corner kick opportunity taken by Jonatan Torres at 12:37. It remained a one-goal advantage at the intermission, as Longwood scoring opportunities by sophomore
Christian Keilty/Spotsylvania in the 11th minute, and junior
Anthony Ugorji/Washington, D.C. in the 23rd minute, were each stopped by Sutarik. The Flames extended the margin to 2-0 in the first minute of the second half on a penalty kick, as Harbison took the PK at 45:28 after the foul in the box was whistled against the Lancers. Keilty had a header attempt in the 57th minute that was saved, as was another attempt by Ugorji in the 66th minute. A late attempt from sophomore
Sam Yardley/Fairfax Station was stopped, as well, in the season-ending setback.
Longwood had a 12-8 advantage in shots for the match, though it was 5-5 in attempts on goal, while Liberty had a slight 6-5 edge on corner kicks. Keilty and Ugorji each had three shots, two on goal, while Yardley had two attempts, one on goal. Freshman keeper
Carlos Canas/Manassas played the first 80:31 in front of the net with three saves, while yielding the two goals. Sophomore keeper
Carl Carpenter/Charlottesville played the final 9:29 in goal for the Lancers.
Duininck had two shots, both on goal, for Liberty, and Harbison was among three players with one attempt each (on goal). Sutarik played the duration in front of the net with the five saves and the shutout for the Flames.
The conference tournament semifinal marked the 21st meeting between Longwood and Liberty in the sport of men's soccer, and the Flames now lead the all-time series, 13-4-4.
No. 1 Coastal Carolina rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat No. 5 Radford, 3-2, in the first semifinal on Friday.
