ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville Men's Soccer team is headed to the Big South Conference Championship after a 1-0 double overtime thriller to knock off Winthrop and advance to the championship game for the first time in program history. This also marks the first 10-win season in program history.
BOX SCORE
The teams traded possession in the offensive end and scoring chances throughout the first half, featuring some highlight-reel saves from both Charlie Farrar of Asheville and Jack Kilstrom of Winthrop. Asheville edged Winthrop 7-3 in shots in the period, as the teams played 45 minutes scoreless.
The offensive pressure on both keepers ramped up in the second half, as Asheville had 10 shots and Winthrop posted seven. Five of Asheville's 10 shots were on target, but Kilstrom stood tall in net. Both goalkeepers were up to the task again in the second half, as the match headed on to overtime.
Each team registered one shot in the first overtime period, as both teams were content to push the ball through the midfield and keep it far from their own net. The second overtime period saw more of the same, until the Bulldogs made an aggressive push in the 107th minute toward the Winthrop offensive end. Aysa Hamid raced down the near wing and crossed a ball into the box, with Kilstrom getting a hand on it in net. An apparent mishandle then found the feet of Edvin Grolimund, who stashed home his second of the season to send the standing-room only crowd into a frenzy. Asheville would go on to stand tall defensively to preserve the fourth shutout of the season.
Asheville out-shot Winthrop 19-13 in the match, including holding a 10-5 edge in shots on goal. Each team also registered eight corner kicks in the match. Sam Pitts-Eckersall matched his career-high with a match-high six shots, while Conor Behan and Grolimund each had three. Stewart Patnaud and Hamid each had two, while Aidan Whitlock, Brendan Herb and Michael Wilkerson each had one. Farrar (10-4-2) made five saves in his fourth shutout of the season, the 12th of his career.
Asheville (10-4-2) advances to Saturday's (Nov. 11) Big South Conference Championship, with a site and time to be determined.