The Longwood men’s soccer team pulled off a sizable upset in the Big South Championship quarterfinals, topping No. 3 seed UNC Asheville 3-1 on Nov. 6. The win in Asheville, N.C. means the No. 6 seed Lancers advance to the semifinal round against No. 2 seed High Point.
“It’s never easy to win on the road, as it takes character and commitment which I think we showed plenty of throughout tonight. UNC Asheville have had a great season and made it a tough game, but I felt we had enough on the night to win out and progress,” said head coach Jon Atkinson on the official Longwood athletics website.
Longwood came in to the clash on a high, following their 4-3 overtime win over Liberty four days earlier. They carried that form straight from the opening whistle, as freshman midfielder Connor Rea opened the scoring in the sixth minute.
Junior midfielder Dan Campos continued his scintillating form as he doubled the visitors’ lead in the 12th minute from the penalty spot. However senior forward Zach Joens cut the deficit in half for the Bulldogs just eight minutes later.
The Lancers held their lead throughout the second half, repelling 16 shots from the hosts. Their defensive diligence paid off as Campos notched his second of the evening in the 79th minute to cap off the 3-1 Longwood victory.
The statistics failed to tell the whole story, as both teams registered 16 shots. Meanwhile the Bulldogs held an 8-7 advantage in shots on goal, but the Lancers’ clinical finishing proved the difference.
We have to remain grounded and humble as our goal is greater but it’s a good sign that the lads are showing an appetite to extend the season and show a willingness to play for each other. Selfishly, I am delighted to be able to continue to coach these lads this season. They’re a special bunch and came here to achieve success for Longwood. We aim to give it our all against High Point (on) Wednesday,” said Atkinson on the official Longwood athletics website.
Following the win the Lancers move on to the semifinal round of the tournament, where they will face High Point on Nov. 9. The Panthers beat Longwood 3-0 earlier this season on Oct. 5.
