KISSIMMEE, Fla. – After a frustrating first half that saw them trailing by a goal, the Campbellsville University men's soccer team erupted for six second-half goals to rout Ecclesia College 6-1 on Wednesday evening. With the victory, the Tigers swept Pool B and punched their ticket to the NCCAA National Championship Semifinals.

Despite outshooting the Royals 14-4 in the opening period, the Tigers (12-7-0) found themselves chasing the game at halftime. However, a lightning-fast sequence in the 57th minute—featuring two goals in nine seconds—flipped the momentum entirely, turning a potential upset into a comfortable rout at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex.

• Campbellsville secured their spot in the NCCAA Semifinals by winning Pool B with a perfect 2-0 record, outscoring opponents 12-1 in group play.
• The Tigers overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit by exploding for six goals in the second half, the most goals scored in a single half by the team this tournament.
• Alessandro Martinez changed the complexion of the match, coming off the bench to score two goals, including the game-winner, within an 11-minute span.
• Mihlali Blesi continued his torrid scoring pace, netting a brace and adding an assist to finish with five points on the night.
• The Campbellsville attack was relentless, outshooting Ecclesia 33-6 and dominating possession throughout the 90 minutes.

The Tigers controlled the tempo from the opening whistle, generating early chances through Mihlali Blesi and Izan Garcia Gancedo66. However, against the run of play, Ecclesia struck first. In the 16th minute, the Royals' Carlos Gonzalez converted a double-assist play from Carlos Guerrero and Colter Hunt to give Ecclesia a shock 1-0 lead.

Campbellsville pressed hard for an equalizer before the break. Forward Nicolo Lanari tested Ecclesia goalkeeper Sergio Pineda with three shots on frame in a six-minute span, but Pineda stood tall88. The Tigers nearly leveled the match in the 42nd minute when Malte Ekman's strike rattled off the right woodwork, sending Campbellsville into the locker room trailing 1-0 despite a 14-4 advantage in shots.

Head Coach Drew Sin's halftime adjustments paid immediate dividends, but the breakthrough required patience until the 57th minute. Izan Garcia Gancedo finally cracked the Ecclesia defense, scoring unassisted to level the match.

Before the announcer could finish crediting the equalizer, the Tigers struck again. Nine seconds after the restart, Alessandro Martinez fired a shot past Pineda to give Campbellsville a 2-1 lead, completely demoralizing the Royals' defense.

Martinez wasn't finished. In the 67th minute, he tallied his second goal of the night off a feed from Blesi, providing the Tigers with a 3-1 cushion.

With Ecclesia forced to push forward, Campbellsville capitalized on the open space in the final 15 minutes. In the 79th minute, defender Ruben Cooper set up Malte Ekman, who redeemed his first-half near-miss with a goal to make it 4-1.

The Tigers capped the scoring flurry in the 83rd minute. Blesi converted a penalty kick at the 82:43 mark, and less than 30 seconds later, he scored again off an assist from Mark Horn to finalize the 6-1 scoreline.

Defensively, goalkeeper Carlo Bianco was largely unbothered in the second half, recording one save on the night as the backline limited the Royals to just two shots in the final 45 minutes.

With the win, Campbellsville (12-7-0) claims the top spot in Pool B. The teams will now be reseeded for the semifinals, which are scheduled for Friday, December 5, at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex. The Tigers will look to carry their high-powered offense into the knockout round as they continue their pursuit of the NCCAA National Championship.