HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — In a season that has seen so much program history made, the Trevecca Nazarene University men's soccer team made more on Thursday.
The Trojans (14-1-2) won their eighth straight match with a 1-0 win over the Lee University Flames (9-5-4) in the Gulf South Conference semifinal at the Loretta P Spencer Sports Complex in Huntsville, Alabama. In earning the win, the Trojans avenged their only prior loss in 2026, a 3-1 loss to Lee on September 23, and they did so with their first ever overtime win in the postseason in program history. Prior to Thursday, the Trojans had lost their only two prior postseason overtime contests - 3-2 to Salem International University in the 2014 Great Midwest Athletic Conference quarterfinals, and 2-1 to Ohio Valley University in the G-MAC quarters the following year.
The win also was also notable for the Trojans in several other ways. It was their first postseason shutout win since the opening round of the 2011 National Christian College Athletic Association Mid-East Regional Championship - a 6-0 win over now defunct Tennessee Temple University. The win also marks the first time the Trojans have won a postseason semifinal match, and it marks the first time Trevecca has ever won more than one match in a single postseason.
THE SERIES
After managing only a pair of draws in the first 10 meetings with the Flames all-time, the Trojans have turned the tide a bit over the last five matchups. Trevecca is now 2-1-2 in their last five against Lee with four clean sheets in those five matchups.
THE MATCH
The match featured two of the three stingiest teams in terms of goals allowed in the GSC. The Flames tied for the fewest goals conceded in the conference with 13, while the Trojans only yielded 15.
The Trojans showed patience and poise on offense in the match, and it led to some chances early.
Zion Jones took the match's first shot in the sixth minute, a try that was saved by Lee's Charles Carriglitto, who had been named second team all-GSC earlier this week.
Haden Brown tested Carriglitto again in the 19th minute, and his shot was answered with a save. Trevecca out-shot Lee 5-4 in the half, and the Trojans'
Hunter Walker had to make only one stop in the opening 45 - he punched a shot from Lee's Matias Milla Munoz over the bar in the dying seconds of the frame, and the match proceeded to halftime goalless.
With their season in the balance, the Flames came out after the half and applied pressure. Marcos Garcia forced Walker to make a save in the 47th minute, and Walker had to be ready to turn aside another chance off the foot of Andreas Aspris in the 52nd.
Trevecca got
Levi Jones loose in the box in the 66th minute, and he rifled a shot off the volley that rang off the crossbar and out of play. Just more than a minute later,
Daniel Shiel was turned away by Carriglitto, and the Lee keeper stopped a try off the head of
Chris Douglas in the 79th minute.
In the final 10 minutes, Lee pushed forward and generated several good chances, and they managed three shots, but all missed the frame, and with the second half horn sounded, the match headed to overtime and golden goal territory with a nil-nil deadlock.
Trevecca took the opening kick off of the extra session, but it was Lee that took the territorial advantage. The Flames pressed forward looking to create a chance, but in the end, that proved their downfall, and it was thanks to a pair of Trojans who did not play in the prior meeting.
Judah Jones forced a turnover almost dead on the midfield stripe between the benches, and he countered down the right touch line quickly. His sprint was accompanied by a run down the middle from Douglas, and Jones sent a right footed cross in that Douglas re-directed off the left post and in for his 19th goal of the season - his seventh game winner - and the Trojans took the 1-0 win to move to the GSC Championship Final.
GOALKEEPERS:
Trevecca -
Hunter Walker (W; 15-1-2) - 94:32 Played, SHO(8), 3 SV
Lee - Charles Carriglitto (L; 9-4-4) - 94:32 Played, 1 GA, 3 SV
SCORING:
94:32 - TNU:
Chris Douglas (19,
Judah Jones)
UP NEXT
Trevecca now advances to the GSC Championship match on Saturday where they will face either the No. 2 seed Auburn Montgomery Warhawks (11-2-3) or the No. 6 seed West Alabama Tigers (7-6-4). The title tilt will begin at 12 p.m.
