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Friday, November 5, 2010

UWF Tops UAH 5-0 to Advance to GSC Championship Game on Sunday

Martini Scores Twice in Victory

PENSACOLA, Fla. – In a rematch of the 2009 Gulf South Conference championship game, the West Florida men’s soccer team defeated Alabama-Huntsville 5-0 in the GSC Tournament semifinals on Friday night at Brosnaham Park.  With the win, UWF will advance to the 2010 GSC championship game against Christian Brothers on Sunday, Nov. 7.

Four different players scored for West Florida (13-4, 5-0 GSC), and junior Matthew Aldred (Eastbourne, England/Loughborough) started the rally in the 18th minute off an assist from junior Frank Cope (Mobile, Ala./UMS-Wright Preparatory School).  Cope dribbled around a few defenders on the left side of the box, and he found Aldred open in the middle for a one-touch shot.

Senior Daniel Martini (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/Penn State) then scored his first of two goals at the 21:06 mark.  Freshman Nick Salafrio (Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz HS) started the opportunity on the left sideline, and he crossed the ball into the middle for an open look by Martini.

After holding on to a comfortable 2-0 lead at halftime, UWF was relentless in the second half, scoring three more and putting the game out of reach for UAH (4-13, 2-3 GSC).  Martini scored his second of the game and team-leading 10th of the season at the 49:54 mark, and Cope and sophomore Stephen Munoz (Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary HS) were there with assists.  Cope slipped by a defender and sent it inside, as Munoz hit a back heel pass to Martini who finished with the left foot.

An attacking opportunity by Cope led to UWF’s fourth goal at the 53:13 mark, as he drew a foul in the box and a penalty kick for UWF.  Munoz took the kick, and he buried it inside the left post for the goal.  The Argos added a fifth goal in the 83rd minute on Salafrio’s second assist of the game, as he set up sophomore Andre Verardi (Porto Alegre, Brazil/Embry-Riddle) for a sliding one-touch in front of the net.

Martini’s two goals gave him 10 goals this season, while Aldred’s was his fifth.  Cope added two assists, giving him a team-high 10 this year, and Salafrio’s two assists were his first two of the year.

Despite allowing the five goals, UAH goalkeeper Tyler Earley impressed in goal for the Chargers, making eight saves while also setting the school record with 5,348 minutes played in his career.  Senior Elliott Purdom (Wilmslow, England/Viterbo) made three saves in the shutout for the Argonauts, marking his fifth shutout of the year.

The Argos finished the night with a 27-9 shot advantage, and UWF also attempted eight corner kicks to just four from the Chargers.

Christian Brothers advanced to the GSC Tournament finals after a 3-0 win over Ouachita Baptist in the semifinals, and the Buccaneers will face UWF for the third time in the GSC Tournament.  West Florida holds a 2-0 record against CBU in GSC Tournament play, defeating the Bucs in the semifinals in 2002 and again in 2008.  The Argonauts will be playing in the GSC Tournament finals for the ninth time in school history, and UWF is looking for an eighth GSC championship and the team’s fifth in a row.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7, and fans can follow all of the action live at www.GoArgos.com.

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