Longwood fell to the conference's top seed Radford University in the Big South Championship on Nov. 13 in Radford, Va. The Lancers held the Highlanders at 0-0 until the 85th minute when sophomore forward Sivert Daehlie scored the winning goal, making the final score 1-0.
This was Longwood men’s soccer’s first time playing in a Big South Championship game, and the third Longwood program to ever compete in one. It was also the men’s soccer team’s first Big South runner-up title.
“We truly believe we belong here. I think we could be one of the top programs of the Big South,” said head coach Jon Atkinson. “Having that taste of the championship this time around is going to fuel a desire to return next year.”
Longwood entered the Big South Tournament as the No. 6 seed after a 4-3 win against conference rivals Liberty, giving the Lancers the last spot in the tournament. They continued on to the Big South Quarterfinals and won 3-1 against UNC Asheville. Three days later, the Lancers got back on the road for the semifinals at High Point University. Longwood won 1-0 against the Panthers sending them into the championship match against Radford.
Radford was the favored team coming into the match, but despite that the Lancers came out strong with four shots doubling the Highlanders two in the first half.
The momentum switched back to Radford in the second half when the Highlanders had eight shots and Longwood had just four. Then Daehlie’s goal gave Radford the lead they needed with only five minutes left in the game.
Longwood sparked one last chance to tie it up with only seconds left, when junior defender Marten Pajunurm headed the ball just wide of the goal off of a corner kick.
“Overall it was a very tight game and was decided by one moment late in the game. I think the first goal in the game was decisive, and we had some moments in the first half that I felt we could have got that go ahead goal,” said Atkinson. “But credit to Radford who are a hard team to beat and are the number one team in the Big South for a reason.”
Longwood featured three players on the Big South All-Tournament team, including junior midfielder Dan Campos, senior midfielder Finnlay Wyatt and senior goalkeeper Carlos Canas. Campos and Wyatt accounted for three of Longwood’s four goals during the tournament and racked up seven points in total this postseason. Canas made 11 saves throughout the tournament, including two against Radford.
The Lancers send off six seniors, including Canas, Wyatt, midfielders Zach Corcoran and Michael Margulis and defenders Evan Fowler and Vaughn Fowler, marking the end of their four years here at Longwood. These seniors helped Longwood win 28 games throughout their four seasons as well as reach the Big South semifinals in 2013 and the Big South Championship match this season.
“They epitomize what the program is all about, they are family, and we love them. They have really led the team in this monumental historic run until the end with class and dignity,” said Atkinson. “We are super proud of them, and wish them well in their end of their academic career here at Longwood.”
