LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Spalding University men's soccer team fell to Westminster in the SLIAC tournament semifinal match, 1-0, in double-overtime. With the loss, the Golden Eagles move to 7-3-1 on the season.
 
The Golden Eagles pressured early firing three shots in the first 26 minutes, including an Alioune Cisse shot in the 3^rd minute that hit the post. Cisse and Asher Benge each put a shot on frame in the following minutes, but both times Blue Jays' goalkeeper Chase Vogt was in place to make the save. Over the final 20 minutes of the first half Westminster began to apply pressure, but the Spalding defense held the Blue Jay attack to just two total shots and the game when into halftime knotted, 0-0.
 
Both teams came out firing in the second half. Again, Cisse took both Spalding attempts firing wide on the first and having the second attempt blocked. Westminster countered with a shot in the 52^nd minute that bounced off the crossbar and fired two more shots high. The Golden Eagles had a chance to score the go-ahead goal in the 89^th minute, but again Vogt was there to stop a Cisse shot to send the game to overtime.
 
In the first overtime, Spalding controlled the possession, 1:02 into the period Ethan Eckert sent a shot wide and Cisse followed with a pair of shots the 100^th minute, the first which was blocked and the second sailed high and the game went to a second overtime period.
 
The Blue Jays began with possession in the second overtime and ball played long caught the head of a Golden Eagle defender leading to a Westminster throw-in. A long throw-in from the Blue Jays' Philip Udinyiwe was flicked in the goal off the head of Andrew Sprengel to give the Westminster the 1-0 decision.
 
For the game, Cisse led the Spalding offense getting off 11 shots with three coming on-goal. Trevor Massa and Danny Hernandez split time in goal, with Massa playing the first half and Hernandez taking over after halftime. Unfortunately, it was Hernandez that suffered the loss.
 
Up next, the Golden Eagles will conclude their season with a road match at Centre College April 29 at 7:30 p.m.