KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The #5 seed Tigers continued pool play today against the #2 seed Cedarville University Yellowjackets, where their defensive efforts paved the way to a 3-1 upset.
The Yellowjackets forced the ball into Campbellsville territory early in the match with two crosses that were quickly cut out by Tiger defenders. Cedarville was pushing the ball up the field before an offside call gave the ball back to Campbellsville. While the Yellowjackets controlled the pace for the first several minutes, the Tigers got the first shot of the match from
Gustav Oskarsson.
The Tigers were in trouble with the Yellowjackets, but after clearing the ball from their field side, Campbellsville went on the counterattack. The Tigers drove into the box before the ball was cleared. Campbellsville would strike first in the 12th minute as Diego Chainho crossed the ball to Oskarsson, where he took a shot from just outside the box that found the back of the net at the far post.
Cedarville was not going away quietly, as they would again push the Tigers to play strong defense. After a corner kick from Cedarville, the ball was brought in for a cross before the Yellowjackets were called offside. Campbellsville tried to extend the lead with a shot from James Feeley, but Cedarville's keeper Jared Zacharias deflected it for a corner kick.
Cedarville continued pressuring the Tigers to play perfect defense. The Yellowjackets took their first shot of the match in the 25th minute, just over the crossbar.
Sebastiano Musu would take the ball down the left side of the field and shake his defender for a shot that went just right of the goal.
Campbellsville would get another chance at the net from a corner kick by Samuel Londono. The header from
Marc Boye would fall into the waiting arms of the Cedarville keeper. The Yellowjackets pushed for another opportunity at the net, but a Campbellsville defender headed Cedarville's header away.
After a solid defensive first half from both teams, the Tigers had taken eight shots (four on goal) while the Yellowjackets had taken five shots (with 0 on goal).
The Tigers began the second half strong, with Feeley ripping a shot on goal that the Yellowjackets punched away in the 48th minute. The 51st minute would prove difficult for Cedarville as Campbellsville extended their lead. Chainho took a shot caught at the near post, got the ball back off the deflection, and found the far post for the goal.
Cedarville took the ball and forced Campbellsville into a penalty kick situation. The Yellowjackets' Jake Johnson would cut into the Tigers' lead in the 53rd minute as he scored the goal from the penalty spot against Christian Hauge. Musu attempted to put the Tigers back by two goals in the 56th minute, but his shot sailed just over the crossbar. The Yellowjackets forced Hauge to make a diving save in the 58th minute that Feeley cleared away.
Musu took a shot off a free kick that once again floated just over the top of the crossbar. Cedarville was looking for the equalizer, but the ball was headed away by Boye, with Hauge on the ground diving for the ball. The Tigers escaped harm in the 69th minute as a header from the Yellowjackets went wide left of the net. Hauge would pick up his second save of the match after stopping a bicycle kick shot attempt from Cedarville.
The Yellowjackets kept Hauge busy in the 79th and 80th minute, forcing him to make two diving saves to keep the Tigers ahead. Oskarsson put pressure on the Yellowjackets by ripping a shot that the keeper swallowed up.
Cedarville continued to fight as they had two shots in the 87th minute. The header from Cedarville scraped the top of the crossbar. Campbellsville sealed the match with a goal from Musu. The goal was set up by a perfectly placed through ball from Oskarsson to Musu's foot in the 88th minute of the match.
After a hard-fought match where Cedarville controlled the ball most of the game, Campbellsville persevered to take the match and move on to the semifinals.
The Tigers will play again on Friday in a semifinal match at either 5 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. ET.
