CHARLESTON, SC ? Henning Jonason’s two goals in the first half lifted the second-seeded UNC Greensboro Spartans to a 2-1 win over the top-seeded Davidson Wildcats in the championship match of the 2005 Southern Conference Men’s Soccer Championship at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island, SC.

 

Both teams made sure that they placed themselves on the board early, with UNC Greensboro striking first.

 

Spartan freshman Jonason was the recipient of a well struck free kick from just over the midfield mark by D.J. McCurry, garnering his sixth goal of the 2005 season when he flicked in a header over the hands of Davidson goalkeeper Ben Ashton in the 14^th-minute to give the Spartans an early 1-0 advantage.

 

Just a little under two minutes later, Davidson squared the contest when Cass Baltz assisted on a Matt Allen goal to tie the game at 1-1.

 

Allen, who has been torrid as of late scoring five goals in his last five games, acquired his ninth goal of the season and third of the SoCon Championship with his netter in the 16^th-minute.

 

Jonason, the 2005 SoCon tournament MVP, put the Spartans ahead with the eventual game-winner in the 40^th-minute when he took advantage of a misplayed ball by the Wildcats defense, volleying the ball over Ashton’s hands to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead that would stand for the rest of the match.

 

Both teams commandeered myriad opportunities in the second half, but the best came through Davidson’s efforts to equalize the tightly played match, as Mac Wilkie’s header was punched just over and off the crossbar in the 69^th-minute.

 

With the championship match victory, UNC Greensboro (15-5) picked up their second SoCon Men’s Soccer Tournament Championship and their first since 1998, earning the SoCon’s automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament.

 

The Spartans will learn their opponent in the NCAA tournament at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 14 in an NCAA Selection Special on ESPNews.

 

2005 SoCon All-Tournament Team

 

Nahum Navas                Davidson

Marco Antunez              Davidson

Matt Allen                     Davidson

Junior Nombre               Elon

Anthony Catalano          Elon

Rhett Abraham              Furman

Shea Salinas                 Furman

Jamie Carlson                UNC Greensboro

David Worthen               UNC Greensboro

Jokull Elisabetarson       UNC Greensboro

Henning Jonason           UNC Greensboro

 

Tournament MVP: Henning Jonason, UNC Greensboro