SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Jacob Panagos scored with 3:47 remaining to lift seventh-seeded Truman State past sixth-seeded Missouri-St. Louis 2-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament semifinals Friday at the Lake Country Soccer Complex.
The victory sends the Bulldogs to the GLVC Championship match for the first time in program history. Truman will face top-seeded Lincoln at noon Sunday in Springfield.
Truman struck less than three minutes into the match. Panagos had two early attempts blocked or sent wide before Brady Lombardo gave the Bulldogs the lead at the 2:35 mark. The junior defender collected the ball in front of goal and scored his fourth goal of the season to put Truman ahead 1-0.
The Bulldogs continued to apply pressure throughout the opening half, earning seven corner kicks and taking nine shots. Roman Scognamillo put two attempts on goal, but UMSL goalkeeper Jack Meyer stopped both.
UMSL answered in the 28th minute. Gibson Hunt played the ball to Brady Freeman, who scored his ninth goal of the season to tie the match at one.
The score remained even through most of the second half as the teams combined for only four shots on goal after halftime. Truman goalkeeper Owen Robben made saves in the 79th and 88th minutes to help keep the Bulldogs in position to advance.
The deciding play came in the 87th minute. Scognamillo found Panagos, and the GLVC Offensive Player of the Year converted his 15th goal of the season to give Truman a 2-1 advantage.
UMSL created one final opportunity less than a minute later, but Robben stopped Freeman's attempt to preserve the lead. The Bulldogs held the Tritons without another shot over the final 2:50.
Robben finished with five saves while playing all 90 minutes. Meyer made three saves for UMSL.
The Tritons held a narrow 14-13 advantage in total shots and placed six attempts on goal compared with five for Truman. The Bulldogs earned nine corner kicks while allowing seven.
Panagos led Truman with five shots and two attempts on goal. Scognamillo recorded three shots, placed two on goal and assisted on the game-winning score. Lombardo finished with two shots and played the full 90 minutes.
The victory continues a historic postseason run for the Bulldogs. Truman advanced through the GLVC quarterfinals for the first time after defeating second-seeded Maryville in a penalty-kick shootout before earning its first conference tournament semifinal victory against UMSL.
The Bulldogs will now play for their first GLVC Tournament championship against Lincoln. The top-seeded Blue Tigers defeated fourth-seeded Indianapolis 3-1 in Friday's opening semifinal.
Kickoff is scheduled for noon Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Lake Country Soccer Complex in Springfield.
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