GREENWOOD, S.C. – Panagiotis "Panos" Migdalas saved the day with one of the most impressive saves in recent memory,
Storm van de Werken scored for the second time in three matches, and the Lander men's soccer team collected a 1-1 draw with Clayton State on Monday night at Van Taylor Stadium in the regular-season finale.
Migdalas' save came with less than 30 seconds left on the Lakers' final push as Gio Echanique received a cross into the box that was right on the doorstep. Migdalas sprawled out and snatched the ball in miraculous fashion to set up Lander's final chance.
Chad Haynes was fouled just past midfield which set up a
Vidar Rydell free kick with 15 seconds to go, although it didn't yield any fruit. With the result, Lander and USCA tied for fourth in the final Peach Belt Conference standings, with the tiebreaker going to the Pacers as they topped the Bearcats both times during the regular season.
The Lakers got on the board first in the 33rd minute. Nine minutes later,
Savvas Chionakis,
Orran Mushet and
Storm van de Werken teamed up on a play that was rather similar to a near-goal against USCA last Wednesday, but this time they found the back of the net.
Chionakis won a 50-50 ball and sent it up the right wing to Mushet as van de Werken streaked down the left wing parallel to him. Mushet crossed it to him in the box and he tucked it in softly.
Chioniakis himself looked to have the game-winner with two minutes left in the match when Rydell found him in the box alone, if not for another sensational, diving save, this one by the Lakers' Charles Boyce.
These teams are even as they come, the shots reading 12-11 Lander and shots-on-goal tied at 3 apiece. Both sides also produced four corners and tied for the second time this season.
Lander is the conference's 5-seed and will make the short trek to Aiken this Saturday on Halloween for a 2 p.m. tournament showdown at USCA. The Pacers won a pair of 2-1 results over Lander this season – the most recent coming last Wednesday.
