JACKSON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College men's soccer team clinched a Gulf South Conference tournament berth with a 2-0 win over Auburn Montgomery on Friday afternoon at Belhaven Bowl Stadium.

The match was moved to Belhaven due to several inches of rain falling at Robert P. Longabaugh Field earlier in the week.

The Choctaws (7-1-4, 6-0-2 GSC) are the first team to clinched a spot in the tournament, getting back in after missing out in 2018. The Warhawks (7-5-3, 4-2-3 GSC) need just one more win to get into the tournament for the first time.
 

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HOW IT HAPPENED
  - The first half did not feature but one shot between the two teams until senior Javier Avelar scored his second goal of the season in the final minute to give the Choctaws a 1-0 lead going to the break.
  - The goal came from a corner kick off the foot of senior Owen Connelly that found the head of junior Aurele Chemin before Avelar cleaned up for the eventual game-winning score.
  - The Choctaws wasted no time extending the lead in the second half as senior Joshua Robinson sent a beautiful ball across the box that found the head of senior Victor Bazan for a 2-0 lead.
  - MC would make the lead stand up over the final 50 minutes to keep the Choctaws undefeated in conference play this season.
 

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KEY STATS
  - The Choctaws notched 12 shots with six shots on goal while holding the Warhawks to just six total shots with two on goal.
  - Avelar led the team with four shots, while Bazan had three off the bench.
  - Junior Alejandro Chavarria tied a school record with his 7th shutout of the season, making two saves behind a stout MC back line.
  - Alexander Kraus took the loss for AUM, making four saves with two goals allowed.
 

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MATCH NOTES
  - The Choctaws are now 2-1-1 all-time against the Warhawks, shutting AUM out in each of the last three matches.
  - MC has now made the conference tournament in 3-of-4 seasons since entering Division II and the Gulf South Conference.
  - They have three matches remaining to try and win their second GSC regular season title in the last four seasons.
 

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NEXT UP
  - The Choctaws will celebrate "Senior Day" on Sunday afternoon when they host Montevallo.
  - The match is going to be played at Clinton High School with the rain that fell at Longabaugh Field over the week.
  - Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. with "Senior Day" festivities taking place prior to the match.
 

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Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and began competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.

The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.

For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or nichols@mc.edu.