CONWAY, Ark. — The Bellarmine University men's soccer team is now 2-for-2 in earning appearances in the ASUN Championship semifinals.
On Friday night at host Central Arkansas, junior midfielder
Camden Dunne and senior midfielder
Micah Linscott scored second-half goals as the sixth-seeded Knights rallied for a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over three-seed FGCU.
Bellarmine (7-7-2) will meet two-seed Central Arkansas at 2 p.m. (ET) Sunday. The Bears earned a bye in the opening round, just as the Knights did last season when they started tournament play in the semifinals.
Bellarmine took the harder route this go-around and, in the process, claimed its first-ever D1 postseason victory. Not only did the Knights avenge last season's ASUN Championships loss to FGCU (4-8-1), the Knights atoned for a 1-0 regular-season loss to the Eagles.
That Oct. 9 setback to FGCU may have been Bellarmine's most discouraging offensive performance of the season. The Knights attempted a single shot that night — and it was harmless.
It took all of 17 seconds Friday evening for Bellarmine to match that output, as junior midfielder
Haziq Zed headed a shot on goal that was saved shortly after kickoff. It was the lone chance the Knights were credited with in the first half, but it was clear their attack was in a much better rhythm than the first contest with the Eagles.
Still, FGCU managed to strike first as O'Vonte Mullings, who has accounted for precisely half of the Eagles' goals this season, found some room on the left side to work in the 60th minute and capitalized. It was the seventh goal of the season for the perennial ASUN All-Conference performer.
Bellarmine found the equalizer in the 72nd minute on Dunne's first goal of the season. Following a corner kick, the ball was pinballed around a few times in the box before it found Dunne near the top. He rifled a low shot inside the right post to knot the contest at 1-all.
Bellarmine's ability to threaten on set pieces was further reinforced in the 82nd minute. Senior midfielder
Greg Fischer curled a free kick toward the back post that was headed by sophomore defender
Brock Pope to a spot close to the crossbar. FGCU's goalkeeper leapt and got a hand on it, but it deflected behind him to Linscott, who was in perfect position to drive a header into the open net for a 2-1 lead.
It was Linscott's fourth goal this season and third game-winner. With the score, Linscott moved into a tie for 10th all-time on the program's career goals list with 30.
FGCU would attempt two more shots and a corner kick in the final eight minutes, but Bellarmine held off the Eagles.
FGCU finished with a 15-6 advantage in shots, but they were even at four apiece on frame. The corner kicks were also close, with the Eagles holding a 6-5 edge.
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