Men's Soccer Advances to SCAC Semifinals

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Austin College men's soccer team advanced to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference semifinals on Thursday evening, as the No. 5-seeded 'Roos went to penalty kicks with No. 4-seed Hendrix College after finishing regulation and two overtime periods all square at 1-1. Austin College took the penalty shootout by a score of 3-1 to advance to face top-seeded Colorado College tomorrow night.

The 'Roos, who improve to 8-6-3, head to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2019, where they also took on Colorado College in the second round, and it's the second time that Austin College has advanced via penalty kicks after having also done so in 2017 with a squad featuring current head coach Taylor Goyen. With the team's eighth win, they've also matched the most victories for the program since that 2017 season. 

Austin College got on the board just under 21 minutes into the game, as Marco Guzman found Jay Facundo for the tally at the 20:55 mark, and the 'Roos maintained their 1-0 lead through halftime and into the second frame. The margin remained until the 73rd minute, when Hendrix's Conner Smith found the back of the net to equalize, and neither team was able to get on the board for the rest of regulation or the ensuing pair of overtime periods.

Patrick Bassett set the tone early in the penalty shootout, saving the first attempt by Hendrix, and Luis Garza-Rios stepped up and delivered the first score to give Austin College the edge. After Hendrix scored on the team's next attempt, Pierce Wear tallied for the 'Roos, and the next effort by the Warriors sailed over the crossbar. Sam Spencer put the third PK home for Austin College to make it 3-1, and the next shot by Hendrix also missed, clinching the victory for the 'Roos. Bassett made eight saves in the win for Austin College, while Gregorio Medina Armas had six stops for Hendrix.

Austin College will take on Colorado College, which enters with an overall record of 11-0-6, at 5:00 p.m. on Friday evening. The 'Roos and Tigers battled to a 1-1 draw in their only meeting during the regular season.