Box Score

LaGrange, GA -- The Piedmont College men's soccer team fought back from a first half deficit only to see Huntingdon College tally a late goal to knock the Lions out of the 2011 Great South Athletic Conference championship tournament.  Piedmont's postseason loss is just the second semifinal defeat in a 12-year affiliation with the GSAC and ends the Lions' season with a 7-9-2 overall mark.

Huntingdon struck first as Rusty Cowley put away a Dallas Thomas pass in the 15th minute to hand the Hawks a 1-0 advantage in the first half though neither team created much more offensively in the first 45.  The two squads combined for just five total shots in the first half with just three of those chances finding the target.

In the second half, Piedmont tried to come out firing and began to get in a groove offensively forcing a trio of corners as the Lions continued to build momentum.  It was in the 61st minute when the green and gold would pull level as sophomore Chase Rivers leathered a strike from distance to tie things up at 1-1 with senior Nick Weatherby getting the assist.

With the play beginning to even out as the second half moved on as the two looked headed for overtime for sure, the Lions saw their championship chances take a hit when Cowley struck again for Huntingdon as he and Thomas connected once more for a goal in the 83rd minute putting HC up 2-1.  With less than eight minutes remaining, the Lions would have to work quickly in order to get their second equalizer of the night. 

Despite their best effort, the 2-1 scoreline held up as the final in a hard fought contest as the Hawks move on to play in the GSAC final tomorrow afternoon while Piedmont heads home.  The Lions outshot the Hawks nine to seven on the evening with each tallying four chances on goal as senior keeper Brian Gaid finished out his Piedmont career with a pair of saves on the evening. 

Sophomore Justin Whitaker led the way for PC offensively with three total shots including one on goal while Rivers' goal is the second of his 2011 season.  Senior Nick Weatherby picked up the Lions' lone assist in his final game wearing the green and gold moving his career assists number to 29.

Piedmont finishes up the year at 7-9-2 overall while four Lions earned All-Conference accolades in the night's awards cermony with one PC player also earning All-Freshman honors.