Thomas University Athletics

 
THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University men's soccer team's journey to the NAIA National Championship fell short this afternoon with a last minute goal by St. Andrews University falling 2-1.
 
The Night Hawks jumped out to the 1-0 lead in the early minutes of the first half.  At 11:07, sophomore midfielder Eric Persson split two Knight defenders with a perfectly placed pass that enabled sophomore forward Severin Abt to side step SAU's goalkeeper Leandro Custodio and blast a shot into the lower right-hand corner of the net.
 
Twenty minutes into the match, St. Andrews battled back to even the match at 1-1.  Both squads played a consistent defense front and struggled through offensive sets that saw each goalkeeper stop shot after shot.  When the buzz er sounded, the score set deadlocked.
 
With 2:28 remaining in the match, SAU's freshman midfielder Jon Ander broke away between two Night Hawk defenders and launched a shot that passed the outreached hands of Night Hawk goalkeeper Alex Condell.
 
The Hunter Green and White made six quick offense charges towards the final minutes of the game landing four shots on goal.  This charge, however, did not net an equalizer sending the Night Hawks off with a stunning loss.
 
"We went down fighting and that is all one can ask for," stated head coach Ricky Zambrano. "Today should not take away from the great season that the boys put together.  It is another step in the process of this program's growth.  We congratulate St. Andrews and wish them the best of luck in the final 16."
 
St. Andrews (17-1-1) moves on to Delray, Fla., to participate in the Final Site portion of the NAIA National Tournament while the Night Hawks' season comes to an end.  The squad finished their season with a 15-3-3.  
 
For up-to-date information on all your Thomas University athletics visit, http://www.tunighthawks.com.