Thursday, December 5, 2013

EVANS, Ga. – With 1:11 remaining on the clock Carson-Newman junior Joao Pedro Dowsley scored his first goal of the season and the Eagles’ biggest of the year, as it proved to be the difference in a 3-2 victory over Simon Fraser in an NCAA Division II semifinal match Thursday night at Blanchard Woods Park.

SFU (18-3-2) finished its season with a second-straight Final Four appearance, and rewrote many of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference records it set last season including single season goals with 77. Alan Koch, who earned his fourth-straight GNAC Coach of the Year honor after piloting the Clan to its fourth consecutive conference title, was the only coach amongst this season’s field to lead his team to back-to-back Final Four appearances.

SFU took the lead early on, before a pair of goals in the span of 10 minutes early in the second half pushed Carson-Newman ahead. After evening the score at two goals apiece midway through the second, it was a battle to the finish as CNU (16-5-1) emerged victorious on Dowsley’s 88th-minute heartbreaker.

SFU controlled the pace early on, building its attack from the midfield and into the CNU box. All-American goalkeeper Rumwald Le Guevel came off his line on several occasions to secure dangerous balls played into the goal box.

Shortly into the match, SFU proved why it is the top-scoring team across Division II. Jovan Blagojevic dove onto a cross from Alexander Kleefeldt just 13 minutes into the match to push the Clan ahead 1-0 with a spectacular header finish.

Bargholz led a charge down the right side in the 19th minute, leading to an SFU corner after a pass was deflected out of play. The cross into the box from Alex Rowley found it’s way to Blagojevic’s foot at the top of the box, but his right-footed strike was knocked down as it carried through a crowded goal box. 

Rowley found himself with the ball at the top of the box, and a low, hard shot was deflected out of bounds. A pair of SFU corner kicks ensued, the latter of which found the head of Carlo Basso whose shot was placed high over the crossbar. 

SFU continued to hold the upper hand through the middle part of the first half. Basso launched another header shot that missed wide, and Colin Jacques pushed a right-footed strike off the outer side netting for a harmless Eagle goal kick.

The Eagles’ best chances of the half came on a cross from Sindre Welo and two ensuing shots from point-blank range that were knocked down by the Clan defense.

Nick Scota fired a shot towards goal with less than 10 minutes remaining before the break, and a sliding tackle from Magnus Kristensen knocked the ball down and prevented the shot from reaching its target. CNU’s Ross Frame managed a shot from the top of the 18-yard box with one minute remaining in the first, but the teams headed into halftime with SFU holding a 1-0 edge. 

Less than five minutes into the second half, Frames displayed his offensive prowess, tucking home his 19th goal of the season from 15 yards out at the top of the goal box. Welo provided the assist on the play, as CNU pulled even at 1-1.

Less than a minute later, Le Guevel came off his line, and held his breath as a shot towards an open net sailed wide after the Eagle goalkeeper’s misplay.

Clan goalkeeper Brandon Watson was required to make a crucial save several minutes later, as he knocked down and then covered a close-range shot by Welo.

With 31 minutes left on the clock, Welo’s aim was true as he settled a long ball off of his chest inside the box and calmly beat Watson with a low shot to put the Eagles on top 2-1. 

SFU failed to lose confidence, as Juan Sanchez tucked a header from the left side of the 6-yard box into the right corner of the net with 26 minutes remaining to pull the Clan even.

The teams traded scoring opportunities down the stretch, with the Clan holding a slight possession edge heading into the final 10 minutes of the second half. 

Mirroring his goal-saving effort in the first half, Kristensen again slid in front of a point-blank shot inside the box to deny what would have been Welo’s second tally of the game, with less than five minutes remaining.

The Eagles were able to capitalize when it counted most however, as Dowsley weaved a shot past an SFU defender and a diving Watson to send CNU to its first-ever NCAA championship game.

Carson-Newman will face Southern New Hampshire University in Saturday’s Division II championship match. SNHU defeated Rockhurst 2-1 in the first semifinal match on Thursday, and was ranked No. 1 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-25.