Host Axemen advance to Subway AUS Men's Soccer Championship semifinals with 2-0 win over Tigers

(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) – Third-year Acadia striker Matthew Berrigan (Halifax, N.S.) was the hometown hero in the second quarter-final matchup of the Subway AUS Men's Soccer Championship between the No. 6-seeded Dalhousie Tigers and the host and No. 3-seeded Acadia Axemen.

Berrigan's penalty kick goal at the 78th minute ensured the Axemen would advance to the semifinals after handing the Tigers a 2-0 loss in front of 718 hometown fans.

The Axemen kept a high-pace offensive threat throughout the game, taking 17 shots and landing 10 on goal.

Tigers Keeper Jason Ross (Bedford, N.S.) gathered eight saves while Acadia's Nigel Goodwin (Milton, Ont.) was tested on one save.

After a scoreless first half, Acadia scored on an own-goal five minutes into the second half with the point awarded to Berrigan who was the last to touch the ball before deflecting off of a Tiger defender.

Berrigan, who was named the Subway Player of the Game, was given the opportunity to score a goal of his own on a 78th minute penalty kick.

Berrigan credited his defending and midfield teammates for the win. "Our back line play was astonishing," he said. "(Andrew) Snyder held it down and Ya Ya (Ryan Parris) and (Spencer) Buck controlled the middle."

Fifth-year defender Mark Hagen collected the Subway Player of the Game award for Dalhousie.

The Axemen will face the UNB Varsity Reds in Friday night's semi-final game at 7:15 p.m.

Acadia and the No. 2-seeded Varsity Reds played to a 1-1 draw in their lone meeting of the regular season on Oct. 30. 

The winner of the matchup will advance to the Subway AUS Men's Soccer Championship final game Sunday at 2 p.m. at Raymond Field in Wolfville, N.S.

All games of the championship are being broadcast live on Bell Aliant's FibreOP TV1 on channels 1 and 401. They are also available via webcast at www.AUStv.ca.

Source: Acadia Sports Communications