Columbia County, GA – In the program's first ever game at the NAIA Final Site, #8 Cumberlands defeated familiar foe #9 Lindsey Wilson, 3-2. The Patriots rose to the occasion and sent home the Blue Raiders, who have won the most men's soccer NAIA Championships in the country, without ever trailing in the match.

Hrannar Magnusson recorded his first ever multi-goal game, notching a brace. Rodrigo Riveros scored the other goal making it four goals over the course of three games for the freshman.

The Patriots relied on efficiency, tallying nine total shots, six on goal with three finding the back of the net. The team's very first shot on goal opened up the scoring. In the 14', Cumberlands was on the attack, with multiple players forward. Alejandro Gonzalez fired a shot that was blockedand redirected by the Blue Raiders. The ball landed at the feet of Riveros alone on the right side of the box who slotted it into goal to put UC up 1-0.

Not even a minute later and the Patriots doubled their score from their high-pressured offense. Sergio Infantes Castell fired a shot that the Blue Raiders blocked, but once again UC had numbers in the box and Magnusson tapped the ball into the net from the left goal post.

Lindsey Wilson had plenty of chances in the opening minutes, but UC's backline rose to the occasion, including a blocked shot by Aleksandar Mirkovic and a team blocked shot in the first eight minutes.

The game was halted 18 minutes into the contest due to a weather delay. The game was paused for over an hour and when it did resume Lindsey Wilson gained momentum. They were awarded a free kick just outside the 18-yard box on the left side of the pitch. They laced the ball into the lower left side of the net, picking up their first goal of the game. The score held at 2-1 to go into halftime.

Lindsey Wilson found their equalizer in the 59th minute, once again from a long-range shot, this time from the run of play, 25-yards out.

In his first career start in goal, Ingmar Struck, made two saves to make sure the Blue Raiders did not earn any more goals. The freshman made a huge save with just 13 minutes left in the contest. LWC had the ball down the right side of the field. They centered the ball, just above the six-yard box. A Lindsey Wilson attacker headed the ball right on frame, but Struck made a point blank save, keeping the game at 2-2.

In the 79' Alejandro Gonzalez won the ball around midfield. He laid the ball off to Luis Jara Encina who fell to the ground, but still managed to play the ball to Magnusson who was running on the right side of the field. Magnusson shot the ball up from just outside the 18-yard box past the diving goalkeeper.

The Blue Raiders had just one more shot in the game, but it went wide, cementing UC's 3-2 win, earning them a spot in the NAIA Quarterfinals. The win makes it back-t-back victories over the Blue Raiders, both of which have came in postseason.

UC will have a day off before facing #1 Central Methodist at 2 pm on Thursday, May 6 at 2 PM. Live stats for the game can be found here and live video can be found here.
 
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