Cobras Come Up Short to Anderson 2-1 in SAC Semifinals

MATTHEWS, N.C. – The Coker University men's soccer team came up short in the South Atlantic Conference Semifinals on Friday (Nov. 15) to the Anderson University Trojans by a score of 2-1.

The Cobras entered Friday's match on a three game winning streak, most recently defeating number one seed Carson-Newman 5-1 in the SAC quarterfinals on Saturday (Nov. 9).

The Trojans came out firing in the first half of play with nine shot attempts, testing the Cobras defense. Goalkeeper Guilermo Falo Ejea came up clutch with four saves in the first 45 minutes, however the Trojans went into halftime with a 1-0 advantage.

Early in the second half, the Trojans extended their lead when Jhon Vacca found the back of the net in the 62^nd minute. With their season hanging in the balance, the Cobras refused to give up. Just five minutes later, Riccardo Ricci broke free on the outside and connected with Christian Provenzano, who scored his 14^th goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Trojan defense held strong the remainder of the match, holding on for the 2-1 victory.

"I'm proud of our team and the season we've had," said coach Michael Antoniewicz. "Our seniors had great careers at Coker, and our returning players for next season have loads of potential. The future for Coker men's soccer is very bright." 

The loss concludes the 2019 season for the Coker men's soccer team. The Cobras end the season with a 10-8 record, going 5-6 in conference play. Notable wins include a 1-0 victory over 16^th nationally ranked Lander University on Sept. 25, a 4-2 win over Lenoir-Rhyne on Nov. 6 to clinch a spot in the SAC Tournament, and a 5-1 win over number one seed Carson-Newman in the SAC quarterfinals on Nov. 9.