GREENWOOD – Nick Cooke scored with 5:37 left in the second overtime Friday afternoon to put the top-seeded Lander Bearcats into Saturday's Peach Belt Conference Tournament men's soccer championship game with a soggy 2-1 victory over No. 4-seeded USC Upstate.
Cooke, the Peach Belt's Player of the Year, scored both goals for Lander (15-3), including the equalizer with just 7:39 left in regulation. The goals gave him 20 on the season.
The Bearcats, ranked No. 15 in the country, will play the winner of Friday afternoon's Clayton State-USC Aiken winner Sunday at 2 o'clock for the tournament title at Lander. The championship game was postponed from Saturday to Sunday due to bad field conditions caused by Friday's rains.
USC Upstate, ranked No. 7 nationally, fell to 12-3-2. David Stanbra scored the Spartans' lone goal in the match which was played in a steady rain.
The Bearcats were in jeopardy of losing to Upstate for the second time this season when Andres Catlla and Cooke created the game-tying goal. Cattla kicked a ground shot from the edge of the box which Spartans goalkeeper Ryan Cooper dived to his right for but was unable to smother. The ball deflected to Cooke, who put the ball in the back of the net. Catlla was credited with the assist.
Cooke's game-winner came from close range on a scramble in front of the net.
The Spartans had a big scoring chance just 10 seconds into the first overtime when Liam Slack had a breakaway. But Lander goalkeeper Garrett Daum came out and made the save.
Stanbra, the game's first sub, entered early in the second half at forward for Troy Mellanson. Slack's cross from the left side came across the mouth of the goal to Stanbra, who put the ball away at the near post from close range with 25:45 left in the match. Slack was credited with the assist.
The first half was evenly-played with the Spartans having a 3-2 edge in shots. There were no saves in the first half.
The shots were even at 9-9 while USC Upstate had a 6-1 edge in corner kicks. Cooper had two saves while Daum stopped one shot.
