GREENSBORO, N.C. - Marco Afonso's seven-point Sunday afternoon propelled the top-seeded UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's soccer team to the Southern Conference (SoCon) Men's Soccer Championship with a 6-3 victory over Furman in the SoCon Men's Soccer Semifinals.
The Spartans' six goals is a season-best, after UNCG scored five goals four different times this season. With the win at UNCG Soccer Stadium, the Spartans also extend its unbeaten at home to 8-0-1. This is the first undefeated season at home since 2002, when the team went 8-0.
This will be the Spartans' first SoCon Championship appearance since the 2020-21 season and 15th overall appearance in the finals.
The Spartans entered the match ranked ninth in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and 15th in the NCAA RPI rankings. UNCG is also third in the United Soccer Coaches South Region poll and tenth in both the TopDrawerSoccer and College Soccer News Division I polls.
From Head Coach Chris Rich
"This is a great win for us. Furman is a good team who is very difficult to play against."
"The first half was almost perfect. The second half was too chaotic, which I felt played into Furman's hands. But I am proud of the guys for competing at a high level and for getting the win. To score 6 goals against any team is impressive, let alone a conference rival in a conference semifinal."
"We're happy about the win and excited to play for another conference championship next week."
How it Happened
The Spartans earned a pair of corner kicks in the 13th and 14th minutes of the match. Marco Afonso forced a tight attack, closing into the near-post side of the net that forced Furman goalkeeper Ben Roberts to make a save out of bounds that forced a second corner kick. On the second corner kick of the possession, Afonso lifted the ball into the left-center 18-yard box where Sami Lachekar deflected the ball to his right. Taking a couple steps forward,
Emmanuel Hagan slotted the ball through the pack of defenders on the near-post side to place the Spartans on the board.
UNCG kept the pressure on Furman leading up to the 24th minute. After two corner kicks for the Spartans,
J.C. Ngando gained open space in the central attacking midfield. Dribbling to the top of the 18-yard box, the junior bounced a 20-yard shot off the right post into the feet of Afonso at the top of the six-yard box for the Spartans' second goal.
Furman earned a central free kick nearly 25 yards out in the 37th minute in their best offensive chance of the half. Sam Miller fired the shot to the near post, but
Niclas Wild made a diving save that initiated the ball's clearance from the box.
The Spartans earned another offensive chance in the half, as
Maycol Reyes received a long pass from the midfield in the 41st minute. Sprinting from the wing, Reyes cut into the 18-yard box, where he was taken down to earn a penalty kick. On the kick,
Basile Marc struck the ball to the bottom-left of goal past Roberts as the Spartans claimed a three-goal advantage.
Furman applied some pressure early early in the second half. From the left wing, Ivan Agyaakwah sent a crossing ball into the six-yard box far-post side, but Wild sprawled to deflect the ball to the far corner for his second save of the match.
The Paladins continued the pressure in the 54th minute when Josh Hosie collected a deflected ball in the 18-yard box and fed Jake Raine on the right side and scored on the far post to put Furman on the board.
The Spartans responded swiftly. After the Spartans earned a near free kick on the right wing, UNCG recorded a corner kick on the near side in the 55th minute. Ngando guided the ball to the right side where Furman's back line deflected the ball to the top left, outside the 18-yard box. Reyes gave the ball one touch, firing the ball into the top left corner of the net with his left foot to reclaim a three-goal lead, 4-1.
Raine cut the deficit to two goals as the Furman attacker earned possession and entered the 18-yard box on the right side. Raine scored on the far post side in the 58th minute for Furman's second goal, and his second of the game.
In the 69th minute, Ngando capitalized on open turf in the central attacking third of the field. Dribbling centrally towards goal, Ngando fed Afonso to his right who beat Roberts to reclaim a three-goal lead for the Spartans, 5-2.
Responding after a Furman goal in the 75
th minute, 5-3, UNCG put an exclamation point on its offensive output in 78th minute. Reyes received a change of possession and marched up the left wing where he sent a cross into the 18-yard box. Colton Sessoms deflected the ball to his right where Afonso slid the ball into the bottom right of the goal as the Spartans secured their trip to the 2022 Southern Conference Men's Soccer Final.
From Afonso on his hat trick
"First of all, I just want to thank my teammates and my coaches for trusting me, and putting faith in me. This is my first hat trick and I am so blessed and chuffed with myself, but none of this would've happened if I didn't have my teammates behind me. I must say this could have probably been my three easiest goals of my career, but contributing to the teams' success is what matters. I am so proud of my decision to come to UNCG for my final year and there has never been a regret. I want to thank coach Rich for making this happen."
By the Numbers
- Afonso's efforts boosted his scoring totals to seven goals and seven assists on the season.
- This was his first-collegiate hat trick and the Spartans' second of the season.
- Steven Hernandez scored UNCG's first hat trick this season on Sept. 2 in a 5-1 victory over Coastal Carolina at UNCG Soccer Stadium.
- Afonso is the fourth Spartan under Head Coach Chris Rich to record a hat trick (Afonso, Hernandez, Theo Collomb, and Albert Pedra).
- Ngando's two assists boosts his SoCon-leading count to 13.
- Marc's penalty kick goal was his first goal in 2022.
- Hagan's goal to open the match is his second goal of the season.
- Reyes' goal boosted his goal total in 2022 to five with his one assist completing his season point total to 12.
- Wild made three saves in net for UNCG, bringing his season total to 35.
- The Spartans outshot the Paladins, 23-9.
- UNCG held a 6-3 edge in corner kicks.
Records
Furman: 7-7-4, 1-3-1 SoCon
UNCG: 12-1-4, 4-0-1 SoCon
Up Next
The top-seeded Spartans advance to the SoCon Men's Soccer Finals that will be hosted at UNCG Soccer Stadium next Saturday, November 12.
UNCG will host the third-seeded Mercer Bears at home at 6 p.m.
