ROCHESTER, Mich. – Two first-half goals were enough for the Green Bay men's soccer team to punch a ticket to the Horizon League Championship game on Thursday afternoon in a 2-1 win over the IUPUI Jaguars. GB defeated IUPUI 2-1 in each of the two matchups this season, previously beating the Jaguars in Indianapolis nearly three weeks ago.
Keegan Walker and Andrew Paolucci scored in the first half for the Phoenix, while Logan Finnegan punched in IUPUI's lone goal in the second half.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Neither team was able to generate much on the stat sheet for much of the first half, but Green Bay was able to keep possession on offense long enough to break a scoreless tie in the 33rd minute. Josh Johansen was streaking up the seam of the field when he sent a pass that split two Jaguars, finding Keegan Walker who buried the opening score, giving Green Bay a 1-0 lead. Lukas Hackaa would try to answer for the Jaguars with a shot on goal, but GB was able to extend the lead not long before intermission. Jaden Prado found Andrew Paolucci, who somehow navigated his way through multiple Jaguars and gained enough control to split the pipes for a 2-0 advantage, which the Phoenix would carry into halftime.
Walker narrowly missed another goal in the 48th minute coming out of the break. GB's stalwart defense held IUPUI to slim-picking until the 66th minute when Finnegan found an open crease and headed in a goal on an assist from Baela Brucker, making it 2-1. The Phoenix would clamp down on defense, grinding out the final 24:31, not allowing IUPUI to record a shot for the rest of the contest. GB's 2-1 victory was the first semifinal win since November 9, 2017.
GAME NOTES
- Walker had four shots to lead all players.
- IUPUI had five corner kicks compared to GB's three.
- There were 26 combined fouls.
COMING UP
The Phoenix will play No.1-seeded Oakland on Saturday at 12 p.m. CST. Green Bay beat the Golden Grizzlies 3-1 on October 28 in Titletown.
###
For the latest and most up-to-date information on Green Bay Athletics, please visit GreenBayPhoenix.com.
Follow us on Twitter: @GBPhoenix and @gbphoenixmsoc.
Follow us on Instagram: @gbphoenix and @gbphoenixmsoc.
Like Green Bay Phoenix Athletics and Green Bay Men's Soccer on Facebook.
---GreenBayPhoenix.com---
