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No. 4 Belmont advances to 2020-21 Men’s Soccer SoCon Championship
Bruins advance to their first-ever SoCon tournament final
GREENVILLE, S.C. – No. 4 seed Belmont defeated No. 1 seed and 25th-ranked Furman 3-1 in the first semifinal game of the 2020-21 Southern Conference Men’s Soccer Championship on Friday. The Bruins will advance to the final, marking their first-ever championship title game appearance.
The Bruins were the first on the board with a header from forward Liam O’Brien that was crossed over from teammate Jack Shaw in the 10th minute, marking the junior’s fourth goal on the season. O’Brien’s goal ended Furman’s four-game shutout streak that began on March 23 against Mercer.
After Furman pulled even on Jake Raine’s goal in the 62nd minute, Belmont freshman AJ Chastonay scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal in the 79th minute, with his fifth of the season putting the Bruins back on top for good. Freshman Michael Saunders added a late insurance tally, powering the ball to the back of the net with just one minute left in regulation.
Belmont’s defense did not allow Furman a single shot on goal and held the Paladins to three only shots in the first half. Niccolo Dagnoni found his first shot on goal late in the first half, but Furman goalie Ben Hale dove in for his first save of the match.
In search for the equalizer in the second half, Furman’s Dylan Lane saw his first shot of the game go wide left. Just two minutes later, teammate Shaun-Chris Joash saw his first shot of the game miss high. Raine, the SoCon’s co-freshman of the year, scored his sixth goal on the season to tie the game, 1-1, at the 61:33 mark with assists from Miles Fenton and Josh Hosie.
Hale tallied his third save of the game on Dagnoni’s penalty kick late in the second half. The transition to the opposite side of the field led to two straight saves from Belmont’s Drew Romig, marking his 19th and 20th saves of the season.
Friday’s game marked back-to-back conference tournament semifinals appearances for the first time in Belmont’s program history. It also received its highest seed (No. 4) since joining the SoCon in 2018.
The second semifinal game between No. 2 seed UNCG and No. 3 seed ETSU is set for Saturday, April 10, in Greensboro, North Carolina, at 12 p.m. ET and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Belmont will face the winner of the second semifinal in the championship match that will take place Friday, April 16, or Saturday, April 17, at the highest remaining seed. The tournament winner earns the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship.
2020-21 SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship
Friday, April 9 or Saturday, April 10
Semifinals (at No. 1 and No. 2 seeds)
Match 1: No. 4 Belmont 3, No. 1 Furman 1
Match 2: No. 2 UNCG vs. No. 3 ETSU, Saturday, April 10, 12 p.m. ET
Friday, April 16 or Saturday, April 17
Final (at highest remaining seed)
Match 3: No. 4 Belmont vs. Winner Match 2, Time TBD
The Bruins were the first on the board with a header from forward Liam O’Brien that was crossed over from teammate Jack Shaw in the 10th minute, marking the junior’s fourth goal on the season. O’Brien’s goal ended Furman’s four-game shutout streak that began on March 23 against Mercer.
After Furman pulled even on Jake Raine’s goal in the 62nd minute, Belmont freshman AJ Chastonay scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal in the 79th minute, with his fifth of the season putting the Bruins back on top for good. Freshman Michael Saunders added a late insurance tally, powering the ball to the back of the net with just one minute left in regulation.
Belmont’s defense did not allow Furman a single shot on goal and held the Paladins to three only shots in the first half. Niccolo Dagnoni found his first shot on goal late in the first half, but Furman goalie Ben Hale dove in for his first save of the match.
In search for the equalizer in the second half, Furman’s Dylan Lane saw his first shot of the game go wide left. Just two minutes later, teammate Shaun-Chris Joash saw his first shot of the game miss high. Raine, the SoCon’s co-freshman of the year, scored his sixth goal on the season to tie the game, 1-1, at the 61:33 mark with assists from Miles Fenton and Josh Hosie.
Hale tallied his third save of the game on Dagnoni’s penalty kick late in the second half. The transition to the opposite side of the field led to two straight saves from Belmont’s Drew Romig, marking his 19th and 20th saves of the season.
Friday’s game marked back-to-back conference tournament semifinals appearances for the first time in Belmont’s program history. It also received its highest seed (No. 4) since joining the SoCon in 2018.
The second semifinal game between No. 2 seed UNCG and No. 3 seed ETSU is set for Saturday, April 10, in Greensboro, North Carolina, at 12 p.m. ET and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Belmont will face the winner of the second semifinal in the championship match that will take place Friday, April 16, or Saturday, April 17, at the highest remaining seed. The tournament winner earns the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship.
2020-21 SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship
Friday, April 9 or Saturday, April 10
Semifinals (at No. 1 and No. 2 seeds)
Match 1: No. 4 Belmont 3, No. 1 Furman 1
Match 2: No. 2 UNCG vs. No. 3 ETSU, Saturday, April 10, 12 p.m. ET
Friday, April 16 or Saturday, April 17
Final (at highest remaining seed)
Match 3: No. 4 Belmont vs. Winner Match 2, Time TBD
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