LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The VMI men's soccer team was unable to improve its seed for the upcoming Big South Conference Tournament as they fell to conference-leading Liberty by the final of 4-1 on Tuesday evening. The Flames (10-4-2/5-1) scored twice in the opening 14 minutes of play and never looked back as they knocked off the Keydets (6-9-3, 2-3-1) at Liberty Soccer Field.
With the win, Liberty temporarily overtakes Coastal Carolina for first place in the Big South at 5-1. Meanwhile, despite the loss, VMI finished conference play with its best record at 2-3-1 since joining the Big South in 2003. The Keydets are also assured of the fifth seed for next week's postseason tournament.
Flames senior Adrian Bumbut got Senior Day started well for his team by netting his conference-best 12th goal of the year in the 3rd minute of play. Just over ten minutes later, junior Daniel McGarry upped his team's lead to 2-0 by putting home a ball off a corner kick from teammate Joshua Boateng.
Liberty was able to control the pace of play in the opening half and held a 7-2 advantage in shots, and a 4-2 mark in corner kicks.
The Keydets had a chance to cut into the lead early in the second half when freshman
Chris Curtis earned a penalty kick in the 48th minute. However, Curtis' attempt was thwarted by Flames goalie Paul Gilbert. Liberty would then capitalize on their own penalty shot situation a few minutes later when Juan Guzman successfully knocked home the opportunity past VMI goalie
Brian Sowell.
As the game was winding down, VMI was able to avoid the shutout when freshman
Brian Harding slipped one past Gilbert in the 90th minute off passes from
David Hill and
Jose Andueza. The goal was Harding's second of the season.
Liberty finished the game with a 16-9 shot advantage, including eight on goal to VMI's six. Both teams earned four corners and committed eighteen fouls in the game.
Up next is the opening round of the Big South Conference Tournament, which begins next Thursday, November 15 at Eagle Field in Rock Hill, S.C. VMI's opponent will be determined this Friday after the final conference game of the season between Radford and Coastal Carolina.
