DALLAS – No. 24-ranked Kentucky along with Conference USA champion and No. 10-ranked Marshall earned second-round victories by very different paths in the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship to advance to the third round, while No. 14-ranked Charlotte got a late goal to force overtime against No. 16-ranked North Carolina before the Tar Heels eventually advanced on penalty kicks.
It is the first time since 2010 that multiple C-USA teams advanced past the second round and the fourth time overall (1997, 2001, 2010 and 2020).
Kentucky (12-4-2) got a first-half goal by
Bailey Rouse in the 35th minute, and an insurance goal by
Jalen Bigby in the 85th minute as the Wildcats beat a shorthanded No. 11-ranked New Hampshire 2-0 at Bryan Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. After a red card was shown to New Hampshire’s
Oneil Smith-Elias in the 14th minute, UNH played the final 76 minutes a man down, and Kentucky took advantage to advance to the third round.
Kentucky-New Hampshire Final Stats
Kentucky will play No. 4-ranked and No. 5 national seed Wake Forest (12-2-2) at WakeMed Field #2 in Cary on Thursday, May 6 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.
Marshall (10-2-2) got a pair of goals by
Milo Yosef, the biggest coming in the 97th minute on a golden goal from an assist by
Jamil Roberts as the Thundering Herd beat No. 23-ranked Fordham 2-1 at Gillette Field #1 in Wilson, North Carolina. Yosef’s first goal came in the 25th minute to give the Herd a 1-0 lead, but the Rams tied the game in the 43rd minute. After a scoreless second half, the teams went to OT, where Yosef’s goal advanced the Herd to the third round.
Marshall-Fordham Final Stats
The Herd will play No. 1-ranked and No. 1 national seed Clemson (14-3-2) at WakeMed Field #2 in Cary on Thursday, May 6 at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT.
Charlotte (6-3-2) got a free-kick goal by
Joe Brito in the 85th minute to tie North Carolina, and after two 10-minute overtime periods, the game ended in a 1-1 tie and advancement was decided on penalty kicks. The Tar Heels advanced to the third round 4-1 on PKs to end Charlotte’s season in Cary, North Carolina.
Charlotte-North Carolina Final Stats