MIAMI (November 10, 2016) – The No. 3-seed FIU men's soccer team returns to the pitch on Friday, Nov. 11, when it faces No. 7-seed Old Dominion in the Conference USA Tournament semifinals. First touch at Marshall University's Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex is slated for 7 p.m. Friday's match will mark the Panthers third appearance all-time in the C-USA Tournament semifinals since joining the conference for soccer in 2005.
Conference USA Tournament Bracket
C-USA Men's Soccer Championship Central
FIU (9-6-2) comes into the match against the Monarchs following a thrilling 2-1 win over No. 6 seed UAB on Wednesday night.
Joris Ahlinvi scored both of the Panthers' goals, including the game-winner in the 89
th minute, to lead the Panthers past the Blazers.
The win extends FIU's unbeaten streak to seven matches, equaling the longest such stretch since winning seven-consecutive last year. UAB ends its season with a 6-9-3 record.
On the night, FIU kept the UAB defense back on its heels all night, holding a commanding 20-6 shots advantage, including out shooting UAB 11-2 in shots on goal. The Panthers also posted 14 shots in the second half of play.
Arthur Clapot got the win in goal for the Panthers while recording three saves. The senior net minder raises his record to 6-6-2 on the year.
Click here for post match video and highlights from the win over UAB.
On the year,
Santiago Patino leads the team in points scored with 16 (8g) and has recorded three multi-goal matches and four multi-point contests. Ahlinvi (5g) and
Luis Betancur (4g, 2a) are tied for second on the team in scoring with 10 points apiece. Six other Panthers have also netted goals this season –
Jamar Campion-Hinds (2),
Luca Giovine (2),
Juan Benedetty (1),
Paul Marie (1),
Brad Fountain (1) and
Alvaro Alvarez (1).
The Monarchs (6-8-2) come into Friday's match following a stunning 2-1 upset over the No. 2-seed South Carolina on Wednesday. Kalo Dasilva (17
th minute) and Niko Klosterhalfen (33
rd minute) recorded the two goals for ODU before the Gamecocks got on the board in the 89
th minute.
Sebastian Hauret leads the Monarchs in scoring with 11 points (2g, 7a) while Klosterhalfen is a close second with nine points (4g, 1a).
Earlier this season the Panthers handed the Monarchs a 4-1 loss on Oct. 29 in Norfolk, Virginia.
The winner of the FIU-Old Dominion match will advance to the Conference USA Tournament championship match and will face the winner between No. 1-seed Charlotte and the No. 5-seed New Mexico. The title match will be played on Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUMensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUMensSoccer) for all the latest Men's Soccer news.
Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $8.9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.
