Thomas More claims PAC men’s soccer title
2017 PAC Men's Soccer Championship Tournament information
CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. (pacathletics.org) – Top-seeded Thomas More College posted a 1-0 victory over second-seeded Geneva College in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Men’s Soccer Championship Tournament title match Saturday afternoon at BB&T Field.
Saturday was the fourth time since 2011 Thomas More (14-4-2) Geneva (14-4-2) met in the league’s title match. This year’s PAC title was the Saints’ seventh after they claimed six-straight from 2009-14.
Geneva and Thomas More also played in the conference tournament’s title match last season and met in the championship-deciding match in 2011 and 2012. Last year, the top-seeded Golden Tornadoes won their first-ever PAC title with a 2-1 overtime victory over the third-seeded Saints at Reeves Field in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Thomas More notched a 3-2 overtime win in 2011 and won 2-0 in 2012.
By virtue of its win in Saturday’s title match, Thomas More receives the conference's automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Championship, with the first and second rounds scheduled to get underway Saturday-Sunday, November 11-12. Selections for the Division III Championship will be announced on Monday, November 6 at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) via web stream on NCAA.com.
| Saturday, November 4 |
PAC Championship Tournament – Title match
#2 Geneva at #1 Thomas More
BB&T Field – Crestview Hills, Ky. |
Result: Thomas More 1, Geneva 0
Box score |
Top-seeded Thomas More registered the lone goal of the match in the 79th minute when first-year Ibra Goumballe (Cincinnati, Ohio | Walnut Hills) scored off of a ball played by junior Sam Lewis (Stawell, England | Crispin School). The goal was Goumballe's third of the season and first game-winner of the year. Junior Jeff Paulin (Alexandria, Ky. | Bishop Brossart) earned the shutout for the Saints, recording five saves in the win. Junior Luke Nolan (Wexford, Pa. | North Allegheny) finished with three saves in the loss. Geneva outshot Thomas More in the match 13-12, including a 5-4 edge in shots on goal. Geneva also owned a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks. |
| Wednesday, November 1 |
PAC Championship Tournament – Semifinal 2
#3 Grove City at #2 Geneva
Reevies Field – Beaver Falls, Pa. |
Result: Geneva 1, Grove City 0 (2OT)
Box score |
Sophomore Michael Pohlod (Gibsonia, Pa. | Pine-Richland) broke a scoreless deadlock with his golden goal in the 109th minute of Wednesday’s semifinal match. Pohlod bounced a shot off of the far post from approximately 20 yards out to secure the win. Grove City finished the match with a 14-11 edge in shots and a 7-4 lead in shots on goal. Junior Luke Nolan (Wexford, Pa. | North Allegheny) notched five saves in the shutout. Senior Malcolm Blake (Moreland Hills, Ohio | Orange) finished with three stops for Grove City. |
| Wednesday, Novemeber 1 |
PAC Championship Tournament – Semifinal 1
#4 W&J at #1 Thomas More
BB&T Field – Crestview Hills, Ky. |
Result: Thomas More 2, W&J 0
Box score |
Thomas More took an early 1-0 lead when junior Oliver Owen (Manchester, England | Harrop Fold) punched in a penalty shot in matches’ second minute. The Saints maintained a 7-2 advantage in shots at the half. Junior Sam Lewis (Stawell, England | Crispin School) scored an insurance goal in the 80th minute off of an assist from first-year Bryce Day (Edgewood, Ky. | Covington Catholic). Thomas More concluded the match with an 18-7 advantage in shots, including an 8-2 edge in shots on goal. Junior Jeff Paulin (Alexandria, Ky. | Bishop Brossart) made a pair of saves in the shutout, his fourth of the season. Junior Nick Stasko (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine-Richland) finished with six saves for W&J, tying his career high. |
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