Box Score Greensboro, N.C. – Sophomore Aaron Salinas made a pair of saves in a penalty kick shootout and freshman Ryan Wagner converted the winning penalty in the seventh round as Furman advanced (6-5) to the Southern Conference Men's Soccer Championship Match following a 1-1 draw versus top-seed UNC Greensboro Sunday afternoon at UNCG Stadium.
 
The Paladins (8-3-5) will face ETSU in the championship match next Sunday, November 17, at 2 p.m. in Johnson City, Tenn., at Summers-Taylor Stadium.
 
After hitting the bar on a header in the 16^th minute, the Spartans took the early lead at the 25:09 mark. UNCG looped a ball inside the six-yard box that was headed out by the Paladin defense. Sami Lachekar ran onto the loose ball and laced a right-footed volley into the right-hand side of the net to give the Spartans the first half lead.
 
UNCG went down to 10 men at the 81:58 mark when Issah Haruna was shown the red card for kicking a Paladin player in the head as Furman was rushing to take a free kick. The Paladins dominated possession from that point and found the equalized with nine seconds left in regulation. Furman lofted a cross into the UNCG box and a scramble for the ball ensued before freshman Luke Hutzell got on the end of a shot from the middle of the box that found the back of the net at the 89:51 mark.
 
The Paladins accounted for all five shots over two overtime periods but were only able to put one on goal, which was saved by UNCG's Seth Wilson.
 
After both teams converted their first spot kick, Salinas stopped Steven Hernandez's shot and Furman's Christian Kraus hit the cross bar. The next four penalty takers converted for both teams to send the shootout to a seventh round. Salinas stopped Maxwel De-Bodene's shot and Wagner fired his effort past Wilson to give the Paladin the 6-5 edge in the shootout.
 
Furman outshot the Spartans 20-9, including a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal. The Paladins managed a 13-0 margin in shots after the 82^nd minute red card was issued to Haruna.
 
Salinas posted two saves in regular season before his two stops in the shootout. Wilson totaled four saves on the night for the Spartans.
 
2024 SoCon Men's Soccer Championship
Quarterfinals, Friday, Nov. 8 
Campus sites
Match 1: No. 4 Furman 2, No. 5 Mercer 0 (Greensboro, N.C.)
Match 2: No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 6 VMI 0 (Johnson City, Tenn.)
 
Championship Semifinals, Sunday, Nov. 10
Campus sites (at higher seeds)
Match 3: No. 4 Furman 1, No. 1 UNCG 1 (FU advances on PKs, 6-5) (Greensboro, N.C.)
Match 4: No. 3 Wofford 1, No. 2 ETSU 1 (ETSU advances on PKs, 5-3) (Johnson City, Tenn.)
 
Finals, Sunday, Nov. 17
Johnson City, Tenn.
Match 5: No. 4 Furman at No. 2 ETSU, 2 p.m.