Men's Soccer

UTPA's Soccer Team Beats Jacksonville

EDINBURG - Host Texas-Pan American stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to stop Jacksonville, 4-2, and finish fifth Friday in the Sun Belt Conference Soccer Championship.

Top-seeded South Alabama rolled into Saturday's 3 p.m. final by blanking Western Kentucky, 3-0. Arkansas-Little Rock upset No. 2-seeded North Texas on a penalty-kick shootoff, 4-3, in the other semifinal after they battled to a scoreless tie in overtime.

Jesus Tavarez scored in the 51st and 78th minutes to rally UTPA's Broncs into a tie, 2-2, with Jacksonville. Then Victor Ramos banged home a 15-yard blast in the 86th minute and freshman Juan Carlos Vasquez added a 30-yard free kick in the final minute. 

Mario Ribera and Shane Hurley were ejected for UTPA late in the first half, but three Jacksonville players drew red cards the second half.

UTPA ended its season with a 4-7-2 record. The Broncs had lost a thriller on penalty kicks to UALR on Thursday, 3-1, after a 3-3 tie.

Goalie Brian Armstrong did it again for UALR's Trojans on Friday, saving a penalty-goal shootoff by diving to stop two North Texas tries. The Trojans mobbed him at twilight when Mark Cooper's penalty shot clinched it.

Luke Whittle and Ryan Beeton, both of South Africa, scored goals for South Alabama and Arnar Arnarson of Iceland added the third goal to support goalie Damon Gore's 3-0 shutout of WKU.


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