JMU Edges Drexel 8-7 On Penalty Kicks To Advance To CAA Men's Soccer Championship Game
Rob Washburn
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | BOX SCORE | HIGHLIGHTS
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (April 15, 2021) – Axel Ahlander converted a penalty kick in the 10
th round to send James Madison to the title game of the CAA Men’s Soccer Championship, 8-7 on penalty kicks, after battling to a 1-1 double-overtime draw with Drexel in the first semifinal match on Thursday afternoon at Drexel’s Vidas Field.
The 18
th-ranked Dukes (5-0-2), who have won the past two CAA championships, advance to face either UNCW or Hofstra at Noon on Saturday. Drexel, which was playing in the CAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, ended its season with a 6-3-2 mark.
After a tightly contested 110 minutes that saw both teams take 14 shots, the match was decided on PK’s. The Dukes and Dragons each had an early miss before the teams combined to convert 10 straight kicks for a 6-6 tie. JMU goalie TJ Bush and Drexel goalie Stephen Kopsachilis each came up with a save in the 8
th round and then both teams made kicks to even the competition at 7-7. Bush was able to come up with another stop, setting the stage for Ahlander, who found an opening on the right side.
Drexel came out aggressive offensively and generated a couple of good early scoring chances, including a Chris Donovan header that went off the crossbar eight minutes into the contest. The Dragons finally broke through in the 15
th minute when CAA Player of the Year Laolu Daranijo flicked a pass to Donovan in the middle of the box, where he was able to finish with his left foot into the upper left corner from eight yards out. It was Donovan’s eighth goal of the year and just the second goal conceded by the Dukes all season.
JMU responded with the equalizer seven minutes later. Yanis Lelin’s free kick from the right side found the head of Ahlander, who was able to re-direct the ball inside the right post to tie the contest at 1-1 in the 22
nd minute. It was Ahlander’s first goal of the season.
Shots in an evenly played first half were tied 6-6. JMU had a 4-1 edge on shots on goal but Drexel had a 3-0 advantage on corners.
Neither team had any great scoring opportunities over the first 30 minutes of the second half, but action picked up in the final 15 minutes of regulation. With less than 11 minutes to go, Drexel’s Elliott Swigert sent a pass across the goal to Daranijo, but he was unable to get much on a shot that was stopped by Bush. The Dukes’ best chance came about a minute later when Ahlander had a header tipped over the crossbar by Kopsachilis. Drexel out-shot JMU 7-4 in the second half.
Kopsachillis finished the game with eight saves, while Bush made one.