The Railsplitters Are Goin’ to the Final-Four!

WILDER, KY – Sunday’s match between Lincoln Memorial and Northern Kentucky was to decide the final spot in this year’s NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Final-Four.  On Saturday, #3 West Florida the host institution, #1 Dowling and #2 Fort Lewis the defending national champions all qualified by defeating their opponents in their quarterfinal matches. (Box score)

Lincoln Memorial entered its match Sunday with #14 Northern Kentucky as the nation’s #16 ranked team after disposing of #9 Carson-Newman and #5 Lenoir-Rhyne en route to the Appalachian Region Championship only a week ago.

The Railsplitters wasted no time in getting right into the thick of the match.  After several unsuccessful shot attempts, Lincoln Memorial freshman Leandro Pereira (Brasilia, Brazil) gave the Railsplitters the lead at 10:47 when he took a pass from teammates Leonardo de Barros (Brasilia, Brazil) and Nelson Pizzaro (Pembroke Pines, FL) and slipped it past the keeper to put LMU on top 1-0.

After taking the lead into the intermission, LMU came out for the final forty-five minutes of play somewhat flat and Northern Kentucky took a strong offensive.  Time after time the Norse were afforded shots, several of which were on goal.  Railsplitter goalkeeper Brent Cole (Knoxville, TN) held his composure and survived the storm, tallying five saves until finally the LMU defense broke and the NKU’s Braden Bishop scored with help from teammates Chris Thompson and Tony Ray to even the match at 1-1 with under thirty minutes to play.

The goal scored by the Norse proved to be somewhat of a wake-up call for the Railsplitters and the momentum began to take a slow but noticeable swing.  Lincoln Memorial had been on their heels since coming out for the second half, but now the Railsplitter offense started to emerge again like a sleeping giant.

As the clock continued to wind down, the match was beginning to look like it would go to overtime, something neither team was a stranger to.  Finally, with only 2:50 seconds remaining in regulation, LMU’s Leandro Pereira was able to repay teammate Leonardo de Barros for the help with the goal he had scored earlier by providing a pass of his own that de Barros in turn chipped by the NKU keeper for what was eventually the game-winning goal.  LMU applied their trademark defense over the final second to come away with a 2-1 win over the Norse and to advance to their first ever NCAA Final-Four in any sport.

The victory not only propels the Railsplitters to the “big dance”, it also gives them the most wins in a single season by any men’s soccer team in LMU history with a record of 15-1-3.