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Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Pouseu Blanco-20161109
Todd Drexler | Big South Conference
1
Presbyterian PC (7-10-2, 4-4-0 BSC)
1
Radford RAD (13-3-1, 7-1-0 BSC)
Presbyterian PC
(7-10-2, 4-4-0 BSC)
1
Final
1
Radford RAD
(13-3-1, 7-1-0 BSC)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 OT 2 F
Presbyterian PC 0 1 0 0 1
Radford RAD 0 1 0 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

RADFORD ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH ON PENALTY KICKS



MATCH INFORMATION
  • Score: No. 1 Radford 1, No. 5 Presbyterian 1 (Radford advances 4-2 on PKs)
  • Records: No. 1 Radford (13-3-2) | No. 5 Presbyterian (7-10-3)
  • Location: Cupp Stadium | Radford, Va.  

RADFORD, Va.  – Radford advanced to its second Big South Tournament Championship in three years after Aitor Pouseu Blanco blocked Presbyterian's first two penalty kick attempts, while the Highlanders found the back of the net on four of their five attempts to send Radford to the championship game on Sunday with a 4-2 PK advantage after 1-1 draw in double overtime.
 
The two Big South foes were scoreless for the first 82 minutes of the contest, despite Radford attempting 13 shots and 10 corner kicks during the span. Three of the Highlander 13 shots came on frame.
 
A defensive miscue at the 83:20 mark gave Presbyterian a 1-0 lead on their eighth shot attempt of the match. Mason Lewis took advantage of a misplayed ball by the Radford backline, stealing the errant pass and finishing the shot to the middle of the net past a diving Pouseu Blanco.
 
Playing into the blustery wind, Radford evened the match in the 86th minute off a Jakob Strandsäter corner kick into the middle of the box as Kieran Roberts was able to get a head on the perfectly placed ball, finishing to the left post.
 
The two overtime periods saw Radford take four shots, while limiting Presbyterian to only one shot.
 
Heading to penalty kicks for the first time since a Nov. 14, 2014 tournament semifinal matchup against Winthrop, Radford sent out Roberts for the first attempt.
 
Roberts drilled his first attempt, giving the Highlanders a 1-0 advantage. Pouseu Blanco smothered Sergio Pinto's first attempt to the far left post on a diving attempt. Sivert Daehlie was unable to find net on Radford's second attempt, missing high.
 
Following another Pouseu Blanco big save; Jo Vetle Rimstad, Fraser Colmer and Strandsäter were successful on their attempts. Jakob Luedtke and Brett Wilson tallied the two points for the Blue Hose, but leading 3-2, Colmer's PK sealed the deal to send the Highlanders to the tournament championship game.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Radford heads to the Big South Tournament Championships for the second time in three years with its first appearance since Nov. 16, 2014. The Highlanders dropped the match 1-0 to Coastal Carolina.
  • The Highlanders look for their first tournament championships since the 2000 season.
  • The overtime match is the second on the season versus Presbyterian.
  • Kieran Roberts tallied a goal in the first matchup against the Blue Hose on Oct. 8.
  • The redshirt sophomore has five goals on the season.
  • Radford attempted 19 shots for the second time on the season, first coming on Oct. 29 versus Campbell.
  • Seven different Highlanders took two-plus shots in the match.
  • The Highlanders attempted 12 corners to Presbyterian's one.
  • Radford finished with a 19-10 shot edge.
 
QUOTABLE
  • "Presbyterian is a strong and committed team, which makes them hard to play. It was a tight semifinal match and advancing is all that matters, we found a way to do that tonight. We didn't give up too many chances, but the goal we did give up was poor on our part and [Mason] Lewis made a great finish. It was late in the match and we adjusted quickly to find a way back into it. I'm proud of our guys for not crumbling under that type of pressure, which I think there was a little of with us being the top seed and hosting. Penalty kicks is not a great way to end or continue a season, but we'll take it." ~ Radford head coach Marc Reeves.
 
UP NEXT                     
  • Radford will host Commonwealth foe No. 6 Longwood on Sunday at 2 p.m. for the Big South Tournament Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
  • Longwood advanced to the championship match with a 1-0 upset win over No. 2 High Point.
  • The championship match will be shown on ESPN3.

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