SEMIFINAL SHOWDOWN WITH CHANTICLEERS AWAITS MEN'S SOCCER FRIDAY

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The #5-seeded Radford men's soccer team faces #1-seeded and No. 22-ranked Coastal Carolina in the semifinal round of the 2013 Big South Tournament on Friday at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C. The Highlanders and Chanticleers meet in the first of two semifinal matches at 4:00 p.m.

THE TOURNAMENT
Both Radford (9-6-4) and Coastal Carolina (15-4-0) advanced to the semifinals with 2-1 come-from-behind victories on Tuesday night. Longwood and Liberty will face each other in the other semifinal matchup.

The Highlanders knocked off #4 Gardner-Webb on the road in overtime. Bernardo Ulmo's goal advanced RU to the semifinal round for the second straight season. The goal was Ulmo's third career postseason goal. The only other Highlanders to have scored a goal beyond the regular season active for Friday's game are Joe Mayer (2012), Luis Grande (2010), James Jordan (2009), and Sergio Arzubiaga, who tallied the equalizer at GWU on Tuesday.

Radford has three times won the Big South Tournament (1988, 1999, 2000). Marc Reeves is in his fourth season with the Highlanders and is 3-2-1 coaching in the tournament. Radford failed to advance out of the quarterfinal round in 2011 after tying Liberty and dropping a 5-4 decision in penalties.

THE HIGHLANDERS
Radford has won three straight games for the first time this season. Ulmo leads the team with nine goals, including five in his last seven games. Four of those nine scores this season have been game-winners. Ulmo ranks 10th all-time in the RU record book with 24 career goals.

Joe Mayer has eight scores on the season, and also has four game-winning goals.

Radford is 0-3 against ranked teams this season (UMBC, Elon, Coastal Carolina). Five of the six losses for the Highlanders have come by a score of 1-0.

THE CHANTICLEERS
Coastal Carolina has also won three straight games since dropping back-to-back games vs. Elon and UNC Asheville. The Chants have been ranked nationally all season and as high as No. 5. They are currently ranked No. 22 in the country.

THE SERIES
Coastal leads the all-time series 17-12-3, including a 1-0 victory earlier this season in Conway, S.C.

The two teams have met five previous times in the Big South Tournament with Coastal holding a 4-1 advantage. This will be the first meeting since 2008.

Radford defeated #1-seeded Coastal in the semifinals in 2007, 3-1.

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