BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Senior defender Leo Andrade posted a goal and an assist while the Gardner-Webb (13-2-2) men's soccer team cruised into the Big South Tournament Championship with a dominant 4-nil win over Presbyterian (7-8-5) on Sunday evening inside Greene-Harbison Stadium.
The Runnin' Bulldogs controlled the entirety of the contest, holding a 17-7 advantage on shots, including 6-2 shots on goal. Gardner-Webb also earned five corner kicks during the match. Andrade, Javan Ochieng, and Robbie Lyons led the Dawgs with three shots each.
Forward Lewis Johnson joined Andrade with three points after posting a goal and an assist in the win while Lyons added a third helper for GWU.
Possession remained in favor of the Runnin' Bulldogs the majority of the opening half, and after a few missed opportunities, GWU went ahead on the scoreboard in the 22nd minute after Andrade headed a pass over the outstretched arms of Tim Benjamin Baerwalde for a 1-0 lead.
The advantage doubled just over 12 minutes later as Andrade became the facilitator, finding a cutting Samson Kpardeh for a 2-0 lead at the 34:57 mark of the first half. That score remained heading into the locker room break.
Playing with a two-goal advantage, Gardner-Webb continued to keep Presbyterian on its heels before adding a third goal, this time by Johnson, who took it all by himself for his first goal of the season.
The Dawgs added one final goal for good measure in the 69th minute after Johnson connected with Breno Correia, giving Gardner-Webb the 4-0 lead.
Senior keeper Alan Horrocks was outstanding in goal, playing all 90 minutes while tallying his 10th clean sheet of the year after posting a pair of saves.
Gardner-Webb has punched its ticket into the Big South Men's Soccer Championship for the second consecutive season and will travel to High Point to face the Panthers in a rematch of last year's final. The Runnin' Bulldogs took that match 2-1, but it was HPU that won the regular season bout this year, 3-0. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
