SPARTANBURG, SC -- The field is wide open at the 2005 Southern Conference Men’s Soccer Tournament held at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island.
Billed affectionately as "The Battle at Blackbaud," all of the top four seeds advanced to the championship weekend of the tournament after winning their first round games on their home soccer fields.
Davidson (13-5-1,5-1 SoCon), which garnered the No. 1 seed in the SoCon tournament via a coin flip with UNC Greensboro after both teams finished with the same allotment of points (15), opened up first round play in the Southern Conference tournament with a 1-0 win over a gritty and focused Wofford (5-11-3, 1-6) team.
The Wildcats’ foe in the semifinals of the SoCon tourney at Blackbaud Stadium did not escape as easily in their first round game with Palmetto state rival College of Charleston (9-8-2, 4-3).
Furman (8-7-4, 4-3) controlled its match with the Cougars for the majority of the game, taking a 2-1 lead in the 47th-minute that would hold up until the final moments of the game when All-SoCon first-team performer Jeremy Gold found the back of the net for the Cougars when he volleyed it home from inside the box to square the game and send it to overtime.
The Paladins would not be denied of an appearance in the lower country of South Carolina, using freshman Brian Martin’s game-winning goal at the 99:20 mark to catapult the Paladins to the conference’s final four.
The two teams appearing in the other semifinal took vastly different roads to make their way to Charleston as well.
Second-seeded UNC Greensboro (13-5-0, 5-1), which ended its regular season with a loss to proximity rival Elon, were seemingly still fuming from its inability to wrap up the SoCon regular season championship in its first round match with Georgia Southern (7-10-1, 1-6).
The Spartans, led by 2005 SoCon Player of the Year Randi Patterson, shut down the Eagles in the contest, 6-0.
Elon (9-8-2, 4-2-1), fresh off its upset of the Spartans that placed them among the top four in the league and left them with the third seed overall in the conference, mustered just one goal in its contest with Appalachian State (7-10-1, 2-4-1), but it was enough to give them a 1-0 win and advance the squad and SoCon Coach of the Year Darren Powell to Charleston.
Kiki Willis, the 2005 SoCon Freshman of the Year, tallied his 10th goal of the season for the Phoenix in the win.
The first round games prove that the field is wide open at "The Battle at Blackbaud." Anyone can survive the first day, while just as easily lose their opportunity to advance and go home thinking about what might have been in the 2005 SoCon tournament.
The action kicks off at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11 when #1 Davidson takes the pitch at Blackbaud Stadium against #4 Furman in a battle of traditional SoCon powers.
Second-seeded UNC Greensboro will look to avenge its loss to the Phoenix in their semifinal match with #3 Elon, while Powell and his players look to take win number two in just over a week over the national power.
The kickoff is set for 7:00 for the second semifinal match.
Tickets can be purchased in advance for the semifinals and finals by calling the Charleston Battery at (843) 971-4625. Tickets will go on-sale for the event at Blackbaud Stadium one hour prior to the commencement of the matches.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $3 for youth and students with a valid identification card.
Fans that cannot make it to the championship in person can catch all of the action on SoCon.TV for $5.95. One can view all three matches via video streaming on the league’s web site (www.SoConSports.com). In addition, the Southern Conference Sports Network will provide audio for the championship match on Sunday.