Box Score
TYLER, TX - The Mississippi College men's soccer team finished the 2008 season with a 4-2 loss to the University of the Ozarks on Friday at the American Southwest Conference Tournament in Tyler, TX. The Eagles (14-3-3, 8-3-2 ASC) used three second-half goals to put away the Choctaws (11-4-3, 8-3-2 ASC).
The Eagles opened the scoring when Ryan Cooper scored on an assist from Matt Engelman in the 27th minute to take a 1-0 lead. The Choctaws answered back in the 37th minute when junior
Michael Pardue scored his second goal of the season on an assist from sophomore
Barry Prather. Neither team could capitalize on late opportunities went into the half tied at one.
The Eagles regained the lead in the 51st minute when Dylan Evans scored his fifth goal of the season on an assist from Shaun Renfro. Ozarks was able to extend the lead to 3-1 in the 84th minute when Guido Salas scored on an assist from Engelman.
The Choctaws cut the lead in half in the 86th minute when Prather scored his fifth goal of the season on an assist from senior
Phillip Buffington. Just six seconds later, the Eagles put the game away when Engelman scored his eighth goal of the season to make it 4-2.
Buffington was unable to break the conference record for goals scored in a career, but he will finish with 54 goals in three seasons and will sit on top of the conference with a 1.06 goals per game average.
Brian Sarber, preseason ASC Defensive Player of the Year, picked up the win for the Eagles, only allowing two goals and making nine saves. Sophomore
Andrew Dailey made six saves in the defeat for the Choctaws.
The Eagles will move on to face the host team, UT Tyler, on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in the semi-finals of the ASC Tournament. Four Choctaws finished their careers: Buffington,
Keith Armstrong,
Gerard Ashley, and
Jack Craven.