NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 4, Belhaven 2
Records: Piedmont, 6-8-1; Belhaven, 9-5-4
DEMOREST, Ga. - The Lions entered the final day of the regular season looking to snap a three game losing streak and turn the page heading into playoffs and they did it with the offense in a 4-2 win over Belhaven on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Demorest.
Piedmont looked to finish strong and they had the right opponent for that as Belhaven entered as the second place team in the conference.
The Lions and Blazers locked up in a defensive battle to start off the game. Piedmont deployed a familiar back line of Josh Duquette and Delroy Mattis, but a fresh face, Lyric Bratton, joined the fold as head coach Jimmy Stephens wanted a strong defense against the highest shooting team in the CCS, Belhaven.
The Lions had been searching for consistency in the backfield all conference season, and the defense saved their best game for last. The Blazers serviced three corners into the box in the first half, and Piedmont found a way to clear them and alleviate the pressure for Bobby Wood, who finished the half with five saves.
The defense opened the door for the offense to make a statement. In the 15th minute Piedmont looked to their three-headed attack of Davis Knight, Mason Keith, and Colin Vogel to jet past the Belhaven defense and execute a beautiful pass between each other, setting up Colin Vogel outside the box, and the senior buried his shot in the back of the net, bringing in the Lions' first score.
This lifted a massive weight off of the Lions' backs and allowed the offense and defense to move loosely and together. Piedmont's defense stood strong throughout the contest, and in the 30th minute of play, Wood launched a ball to the other half of the pitch, giving great position to Vogel once more as the forward blitzed past the defense, soaring through the air to connect on a header that, despite hard contact with the keeper, found its way to the back of the net, giving the Lions a 2-0 lead.
With the offense cruising, the vibes were high, and Piedmont still had gas in the tank. In the 36th minute the Lions would add on with their third goal of the game coming off the foot of sophomore Mason Keith, continuing to showcase the strong forward attack.
That would conclude the first-half action for the Lions, as they would carry a shutout into the second half.
The defensive battle came back in the second half as both sides struggled to find the back of the net. Belhaven, however, continued to open opportunities for themselves and eventually found themselves on the doorstep.
In the 66th minute Belhaven floated a pass into the box, setting up a wide-open shot at the net and bringing in their first of the day.
Piedmont looked to rebound and steady themselves against their strong opponent, but as the defense was still reeling from the first goal, the Blazers sent in their second, making it a one-score game with 22 minutes to go.
The game shifted into high gear with both sides pressing to find their way back into the other's box. As the minutes melted away, the Lions pulled back and played into a full defensive scheme, but a breakaway in the corner set up Davis Knight for a shot across the box, finding the lower third of the goal, giving Piedmont insurance and ultimately sealing the game away.
Piedmont looked to end their season in strong fashion, and they did with an emphatic win at the WAC.
With his goal in the final minutes Knight ends the regular season tied for the CCS lead in goals scored with eight and leads the conference in goals per game with a .533 percentage.
Piedmont will head into the playoffs with fire beneath them as they look to go on a run.
The Lions will travel to LaGrange for the first round of the playoffs to face off with the Panthers after drawing with them earlier in the season. The match is set for Wednesday, Oct. the 29th, with the game time to be determined.
TURNING POINT:
- Mason Keith's goal in the first half giving the Lions their third goal
- Davis Knight's exclamation point goal in the final minutes to seal the game
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- Colin Vogel scored twice to propel the Lions
- Bobby Wood collected nine saves in the game
HOW TO FOLLOW:
- To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont University Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on
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