#9 Falcons Fall on Penalty Kicks in First Round of NCAA Tournament

MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The ninth-ranked University of Montevallo men's soccer team (18-2-2) took on Anderson University (15-5-2) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at home. The Falcons and Trojans ended the match with a 1-1 tie and advanced to penalty kicks. The Trojans advanced to the Second Round of the Tournament with a 4-2 victory in PKs. The Falcons lone goal of the match came from senior Nathaniel Foster (Brampton, Ontario/Humberview Secondary School) who scored just 1:16 into the second half to tie the match at one.

Freshman goalkeeper Brendan Ledgeway (York, England/All Saints) ended the season with 17 wins in goal which tied the UM record for single-season wins by a goalkeeper. The Falcons as a team set the single season record for highest winning percentage (.864) and tied the single season record for wins (18).

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 Lasse Sohrweide and Mark Smith used a little 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 much different as the Falcons came out on fire and scored just 1:16 into the period as 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 keeper to tie the game at one.

The Falcons 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 (Lincolnshire, England/Queen Elizabeth's) 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 AU keeper Benjamin Pepion made a diving save to clinch the win for the Trojans.