GREENWOOD, S.C.----Coach Van Taylor's 300th career coaching victory didn't come as easy as some would have thought Tuesday night.
The top-seeded Lander men's soccer team had to rally for two second-half goals, but did so and advanced to the second round of the Peach Belt Conference tournament with a 2-1 victory over No. 8 Georgia Southwestern. Taylor has spent his entire 22-year coaching career on the Lander sidelines.
Colin Kent scored the game-winning goal at 83:46 on an assist from Adam Arthur.
Lander, which is ranked No. 15 in the latest NSCAA/Adidas national poll, improves to 14-3. Georgia Southwestern finishes its season at 2-12. Lander will host the remainder of the PBC tournament with the semifinals on Friday and the championship on Saturday.
The Bearcats will face No. 4 USC Upstate, a winner over No. 5 UNC Pembroke, at noon Friday. The other semifinal is set for 2:30. The championship game will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead in the first half when Keith Henck drove in Etchu Tabe's missed shot in the box at 23:31. Lander tied the game at 1-1 when Jamie Ramm's shot ricocheted off the cross bar and into the goal on Martyn Bell's corner kick at 62:33.
Lander goalkeeper Garrett Daum, this week's PBC Player of the Week, recorded two saves, while Georgia Southwestern's Conrad Brown had six.
Lander outshot the Hurricanes, 20-8, and led in corner kicks, 14-0.