Axemen down Panthers 3-1 to advance to Subway AUS Men's Soccer Championship semifinal versus host Cape Breton Capers

(SYDNEY, N.S.) The AUS no. 4-seeded Acadia Axemen downed the no. 5-seeded UPEI Panthers 3-1 in the quarter-final round of the Subway AUS Men's Soccer Championship Thursday evening in Sydney, N.S. 

With the win, they advance to face to top-seeded and host Cape Breton Capers in Friday's semifinals. 

2017 AUS student-athlete community service award recipient Zachary Visser (Winsloe South, P.E.I.) opened up the scoring for the Axemen at 13:05, off an assist from Tylor Connolly (Quispamsis, N.B.).

The score remained 1-0 at the end of the first half.

The Panthers pressed for most of the second half, but the next goal would not come until 74:19 when UPEI's Lucas Holmes (York, P.E.I.) tied things up for the Panthers at 1-1. 

The equalizer would be short-lived as Acadia's Zane Brennan (Fredericton, N.B.) notched the game winner just over two minutes later at 76:48.

Cooper Coats (Halifax, N.S.) added an insurance goal at 84:35. 

Visser was named Subway Player of the Game for the Axemen, while Ben Keefe (New Haven, P.E.I.) earned the honour for the Panthers in the loss. 

Acadia now advances to the Subway AUS Men's Soccer Championship semi-final round. They will face the host Cape Breton Capers—undefeated in the regular season—at 4 p.m. Friday in Sydney.

The winner of the semi-final matchup will advance to the championship final which will be played Sunday at 2 p.m.

With files from Cape Breton Athletics