ATLANTA—On Friday night, the Oglethorpe men's soccer program advanced to the final of the Southern Athletic Association tournament after a 2-0 victory against Sewanee in the semifinal.
The match was scoreless in the first half as both teams participated in a cagey and physical battle. However, head coach Jon Akin's side would finally get the goal that they were looking for in the 65th minute after a beautiful long-range shot from Ben Alram went into the top corner of the net. It was the junior's SAA-leading 12th goal of the year. The Frenchman who won SAA offensive player of the year keeps showing why he is one of the best talents in the league.
The Petrels ultimately confirmed their spot in the final with a goal in the 89th minute. JR Cozine was able to cause trouble by weaving past many Sewanee defenders and delivering the ball to Cristian Medina as he found the back of the net.
The victory over Sewanee is an important step toward the Oglethorpe men achieving their goals. On Sunday, Nov. 5, Oglethorpe could win the tournament for the first time since 2017 with a victory against Rhodes, who topped Centre 1-0 with a late goal.
Match Facts
- Oglethorpe's overall record this year is now 13-2-2.
- The team's all-time record against Sewanee is 18-14-5
- Oglethorpe outshot Sewanee 17-5 on shots and 10-1 on shots on target.
- Alram and Medina led the team in shots with five shots.
Up Next
On Sunday, Nov. 5, the SAA tournament championship is on the line as Oglethorpe will host Rhodes. Kickoff time is set for 1:00 p.m. The winner earns an automatic ticket to the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer National Tournament.
