KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Resilience defined the night for the Campbellsville University men's soccer team, as the top-seeded Tigers rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat fourth-seeded Nelson University 2-1 in the NCCAA National Championship Semifinals on Friday.

With the victory, the Tigers (13-7-0) advance to the NCCAA National Championship match, where they will compete for the banner on Saturday night.

Facing a 1-0 hole after 45 minutes, Campbellsville dominated the second half, outshooting the Lions 15-5 in the final period. Goals from Mihlali Blesi and Malte Ekman provided the turnaround, and a gritty defensive stand with only 10 men in the final minutes secured the Tigers' place in the final.

• Campbellsville punched their ticket to the NCCAA National Championship game with a spirited 2-1 comeback victory over Nelson University.

• Despite trailing 1-0 at the break, the Tigers controlled the offensive tempo, finishing with a 24-12 advantage in shots and a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.

• Mihlali Blesi leveled the match in the 71st minute with his team-leading goal, while Malte Ekman netted the game-winner just over six minutes later.

• The Tigers' defense showed immense character, holding the lead for the final seven minutes while playing a man down following a late red card.

• Goalkeeper Malthe Schou recorded two saves, including a crucial stop in the 83rd minute to preserve the one-goal advantage.

The semifinal clash began with Campbellsville asserting early pressure. The Tigers generated nine shots in the first half, including a dangerous attempt by Alessandro Martinez in the 12th minute that beat the keeper but was cleared off the line for a team save by the Nelson defense.

However, it was the Lions who drew first blood against the run of play. In the 39th minute, Jonathan Ledesma finished a pass from Tyler Peloquin to put Nelson ahead 1-0. The Tigers nearly equalized moments later when Malte Ekman's strike rattled the woodwork in the 37th minute, but Campbellsville entered the intermission trailing by a goal.

The second half saw a relentless Campbellsville attack. The Tigers camped in the offensive third, testing the Lions' backline repeatedly. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 71st minute. Nicolo Lanari, fresh off the bench, played a ball to Mihlali Blesi, who buried the equalizer to knot the score at 1-1.

Momentum firmly on their side, the Tigers continued to press. After a flurry of activity that saw another Nelson team save deny Eduardo De Filippis, Malte Ekman found the back of the net in the 77th minute, firing Campbellsville into a 2-1 lead.

The drama escalated in the final 10 minutes. Goalkeeper Malthe Schou came up huge in the 83rd minute, saving a bottom-center shot from Nelson's Edwin Mbaka. Seconds later, the match took a volatile turn when De Filippis was issued a red card, forcing Campbellsville to finish the final 7:14 with only 10 men.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Tigers' defense was impenetrable. Campbellsville managed the clock effectively and limited Nelson to off-target attempts as time expired, sealing the emotional victory.

The Tigers will play for the NCCAA National Championship on Saturday, December 6. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex.