Box Score
Gulfport, MS-The Belhaven men's soccer team played Southern Polytechnic University to a 0-0 double overtime draw in the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals Thursday afternoon. The Blazers were eliminated 4-2 by Southern Poly in a penalty kick shootout as the Runnin' Hornets move on to the SSAC Championship on Saturday. The game is recorded in the scorebook as a tie for both teams.

Belhaven (15-1-3) struggled against a tough Southern Poly defense that kept the ball in the middle of the field our in the Belhaven zone for most of the first half. The Runnin' Hornets outshot the Blazers 9-2 in the opening 45 minutes of the game. Belhaven picked it up a bit in the second half and unleashed five shots and nearly took the lead on a couple of attempts. In the 54th minute Jose Robles fired a shot off the cross bar and in the 83rd minute Southern Poly goalkeeper Eric Ati made a diving save on a shot off the foot of Phillip Forsman.

Belhaven Goalie Gautier Troch made six crucial saves in regulation and one in the second overtime to preserve the tie. However, Southern Poly (11-3-3) got the better of the Blazers in the shootout firing four shots in the back of the net to advance in the tournament. Ati made a big save on the opening attempt by Tom Cosgrave and then turned away Aaron McLoughlin's bid for a penalty kick score which pretty much sealed it for the Runnin' Hornets. Kouami d'Almedia clinched it for Southern Poly on the final kick of the shootout.

Belhaven was outshot in the game 23-12 in total shots and Southern Poly also held the edge in shots on goal at 7-5. Forsman had two total shots and two attempts on goal along with Achille Campion, Alex Rodriguez, Tom Cosgrave and Aaron McLoughlin with two total shots each. Emeka Maduka had nine total shots with two on goal to pace the Runnin' Hornets in the contest. Troch made seven saves in 110 minutes and Ati turned away five Belhaven shots in 110 minutes of work in goal.

Belhaven, ranked 10th in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, will now await word on a possible at large berth in the NAIA National Tournament starting November 20th. The national tournament field will be announced on Sunday. All the latest news and information on Belhaven men's soccer can be found by logging onto the athletics website blazers.belhaven.edu.