Birch's Last Minute Strike Qualifies Men's Soccer for SAC Tournament

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Salano Birch ripped a shot from the top of the box that deflected off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net in the final minute of extra time to lift host Catawba to a 3-2 win over Newberry in South Atlantic Conference men's soccer action on Wednesday at the Frock Soccer Complex.

The win improves the Catawba Indians to 9-6-2 overall and 5-5-1 in the SAC and qualifies Catawba for the conference tournament for the first time since 2016. The Wolves end their season at 3-13 and 3-8.
Catawba entered the match in a tie for eighth in the standings with Wingate, who held the tiebreaker over the Indians, and trailing seventh-place Coker by two points. Playing before the other two teams, Catawba got the result it needed to stay alive on Birch's strike with just 56 seconds remaining in the second overtime period. Coker would fall to Anderson in overtime to secure the Indians' spot and when Wingate tied Mars Hill, Catawba claimed the #7-seed.

Newberry scored first just under three minutes into the contest. Noah Vezzu fired home a cross from Henok Awoke at the top of the box. Catawba tied the match four minutes later as Joseph Allerton corralled a loose ball in the box and scored from the six.

Allerton assisted on Catawba's go-ahead goal in the 59th minute. He sent a through ball that put Tom Savigar in one-v-one with the keeper. Newberry answered back in the 64th minute. Harry McDonnell tucked home a shot following a corner kick that was headed down by Oliver Ringqvist. That set the stage for Birch's late heroics.

Catawba out-shot Newberry 33-15 and took 11 corners to six for the Wolves. Pablo Chase made 15 saves for Newberry, while Gianluca Tommasi stopped seven shots for the Indians.

Catawba will travel to Limestone on Saturday for its quarterfinal match in the SAC Tournament at 2 p.m.. The Saints won the regular-season meeting 2-1 in overtime.