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3
Winner Radford RAD (13-3-1 (7-1-0 BSC))
0
AVL AVL (6-12-0 (5-3-0 BSC))
Winner
Radford RAD
(13-3-1 (7-1-0 BSC))
3
Final
0
AVL AVL
(6-12-0 (5-3-0 BSC))
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Radford RAD 2 1 3
AVL AVL 0 0 0

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

RADFORD WINS THIRD STRAIGHT BIG SOUTH REG. SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP



MATCH INFORMATION
  • Score: Radford 3, UNC Asheville 0
  • Records: Radford (13-3-1, 7-1-0 Big South) | UNC Asheville (6-12-0, 5-3-0 Big South)
  • Location: Greenwood Field | Asheville, N.C.

ASHEVILLE, N.C.  – Radford collected its third consecutive Big South Regular Season Championship after picking up its ninth clean sheet of the season with a 3-0 win over UNC Asheville, Wednesday night in the regular season finale at Greenwood Field.
 
Jakob Strandsäter and Michael Walsh provided the offense for the Highlanders, combing for three goals and three assists. Strandsäter finished with a season-high two goals and the first multi-goal match by a Highlander this season.
 
Radford came out firing on all cylinders to start the match as Kieran Roberts and Evan Szklennik fired back-to-back shots on frame three minutes into the contest, but Bulldog goalkeeper Chris Katt was able to get a body on both shots.
 
Three minutes later, Garland Smith found Bismark Amofah at midfield off a UNC Asheville turnover. Amofah sent a pass down the right side to Michael Walsh, who sent a cross into the box to the far left side. Walsh's cross found a striding Strandsäter at the far left post. Strandsäter finished the goal near post to break the scoreless match in the sixth minute.
 
The Highlanders attempted one more shot, before finding their second goal of the half. Aitor Pouseu Blanco launched a goal kick to midfield. Strandsäter half-volleyed a ball to Szklennik off the goal kick. Szklennik found Walsh running down the left side as Walsh fired a rocket to far post, hitting post to ricochet past a diving Katt to give Radford a 2-0 lead in the 21st minute.
 
Neither team attempted a shot in the final 24 minutes of the first half as Radford held UNC Asheville to only two shots in the half, one on goal.
 
The second half turned into a defensive battle, despite Radford taking five shots in the first 15 minutes, two on goal. Szklennik just missed a goal in the 54th minute, firing a shot from just inside the right side of the box, hitting far post.
 
Strandsäter's second goal of the match came off a cross by Wyatt Erzen from the left side as Szklennik touch passed to the sophomore for the goal to the far post past a diving Katt in the 83rd minute.
 
The second half saw Radford limit the Bulldogs to a five shots, three coming the final 10 minutes.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Radford collects its third consecutive share of the Big South Regular Season Championship, capturing its second outright championship during the three-year span (2014, 2015, 2016).
  • The last time a Big South school won three straight regular season championships was 2011-2013 by Coastal Carolina.
  • Jakob Strandsäter's two goals give him the team lead with five goals and six assists for 16 points.
  • The first half goal by Michael Walsh was his first since Oct. 1 at Gardner-Webb.
  • Radford totaled six assists off the three goals.
  • Evan Szklennik led the way with two assists.
  • Bismark Amofah, Wyatt Erzen, Walsh and Strandsäter tallied one assist each.
  • The shutout was the ninth on the season for the Highlanders, including six in Big South play.
  • In eight conference games, Radford yielded only two goals.
  • Aitor Pouseu Blanco matched the Big South's all-time record in career shutouts, collecting his 24th.
  • Radford is one shutout away from matching a single-season record of 10, set in during the 1991 season.
 
QUOTABLE
  • "I am incredibly proud of this group. To win the regular season championship three years in a row is phenomenal. We only allowed two goals in conference play, which is not easy to do. It's not been a smooth sailing season. Our group has done an incredible job at staying together and keeping the process moving along. I am proud of our seniors and thankful to our group that stuck together. They were reward with a great regular season and that top overall seed." ~ Radford head coach Marc Reeves.
 
UP NEXT                     
  • Radford will play the winner of No. 4 Liberty/No. 5 Presbyterian on Nov. 9 in a 7 p.m. match inside Cupp Stadium.

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