GREENVILLE,S.C. – No.5 Furman secured its second consecutive Southern Conference (SoCon) Men’s Soccer Championship title with a 1-0 victory over No. 19 UNCG on Saturday. The paladins’ triumph marks back-to-back SoCon championships for the programme.
The decisive moment came in the 102nd minute when Reid pounced on rebounds following a saved shot by Wilfer Bustamante, sealing the win for Furman.the match, a tightly contested affair between SoCon powerhouses, saw limited scoring opportunities throughout regulation and overtime. grayson Travis missed wide early for Furman, while Luke Munson forced a save from UNCG’s goalkeeper in the first half. UNCG’s Issah Haruna registered the Spartans’ only shot on goal in regulation, denied by Furman’s redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Ivan Horvat in the 29th minute.
Neither team managed a shot on goal in the second half or the first overtime period, with UNCG’s Arnaud Tattevin hitting the crossbar as their most hazardous attempt. Horvat was again tested in the 102nd minute, saving a shot from Trym Linberg before Bustamante’s attempt set up the game-winning play.
Furman finished with a 9-7 advantage in total shots and a 3-2 edge in shots on goal. Horvat and UNCG’s wilson each recorded two saves. Horvat, named SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year, secured his sixth clean sheet of the season.
Diego Hernandez was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. He was joined on the all-tournament team by Horvat, Braden Dunham, and Ryan Wagner. Jack Travis received the Pinnacle award, recognizing the student-athlete with the highest GPA on the championship-winning team.