The No. 3-seeded University of Alabama in Huntsville men’s soccer team saw its conference tournament run end Saturday afternoon with a 4-3 defeat against No. 6-seeded West Alabama in the Gulf South Conference Men’s Soccer Championship quarterfinals at Charger Park.
UAH finished its campaign with a 10-2-3 overall record and a 6-1-3 mark in Gulf South Conference play. West Alabama advanced with a 7-6-4 record overall and a 4-3-3 conference standing, scoring twice in the opening nine minutes to take a 2-0 lead.
The visiting side seized control early in the match, scoring twice in the opening nine minutes to establish a 2-0 advantage. UAH worked to claw back before halftime when sophomore defender Cade Valek netted his first goal of the season in the 22nd minute, utilizing an assist from sophomore defender Samuel Quickfall to narrow the margin to 2-1.
West Alabama restored breathing room shortly after the break. A goal in the 50th minute pushed the lead to 3-1, and another strike in the 77th minute made it 4-1.
Refusing to fold, the Chargers mounted a comeback in the final ten minutes. Freshman defender Caio Prass scored his first goal as a Charger in the 80th minute. Shortly after, senior forward Oli Orzechowski converted a penalty kick in the 84th minute, slicing the deficit to 4-3. UAH pressed for the equalizer in the dying moments but could not find the tying tally.
Match Statistics and Key Performances
Orzechowski and sophomore forward Harry Schramm paced the UAH offense with four shots apiece, with Orzechowski putting two on target. Donovan Pruitte contributed two shots, placing one on target. Quickfall’s assist on Valek’s first-half goal highlighted a match where the Chargers generated 16 total shots, putting eight on target.
89:17. Prescott Hull. BALLGAME. 🔥⚽️Chargers take down West Alabama, 1-0, to open GSC play with a win.#ChargeOnhttps://t.co/A8QNk6CO04
Between the posts, junior goalkeeper Sonny Wright logged all 90 minutes, making four saves.
Postseason Outlook
With the conference tournament exit, the Chargers pivot their focus to the final South Region rankings as they wait to see if their body of work secures an invitation to the NCAA postseason.
