Trojans Advance to Sun Belt Semis With Win Over ULM

FOLEY, Ala. – The No. 3 Little Rock soccer team made a huge statement on Wednesday afternoon, defeating No. 6 ULM 2-0 in the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinals to advance to the league's semifinals for the first time since 2009.
 
Sun Belt All-Second Team members Quin Wilkes and Doro Greulich scored first-half goals three minutes apart to lead the Trojans (12-7-1) to victory over the Warhawks (7-9-3), and goalkeeper Sara Small made two saves for her sixth complete-game shutout of the season.
 
Little Rock advances to take on No. 2 seed Coastal Carolina in the league semifinal on Friday at 4 p.m.
 
The Trojans – playing with their highest-ever seed – completely controlled the contest and outshot ULM 23-2. In the process, Little Rock also broke the school's single-season wins record with its 12th win of the year and also avenged a 1-0 loss to the Warhawks in the regular season.
 
Wilkes' goal came in the 31st minute and was set up nicely by Greulich and Jaclyn Purvine. Purvine, with possession in the midfield, found Greulich up ahead with an accurate pass. Greulich then redirected the ball forward to Wilkes. Already in the penalty area when she received the ball, Wilkes tapped it past keeper Brooke-Lynn Scroggins to make it 1-0 Trojans.
 
Greulich got a goal of her own just three minutes later when the Trojans again pressured the Warhawks defense. Greulich passed the ball to Arola Aparicio at the edge of the penalty area. Aparicio took contact from a ULM defender and fell to her knees but still had the wherewithal to center the ball back to Greulich. Greulich ripped a shot past Scroggins from just outside the box, making it 2-0 in favor of the Trojans.
 
The win was Little Rock's first in the conference tournament since 2009 and continued a seven-game unbeaten streak against Sun Belt opponents. Little Rock has also now scored at least two goals in seven straight games against league foes.
 
The Trojans will have one day off before their next game, as the team is set to take on No. 2 seed Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Semifinals on Friday at 4 p.m. During the regular season, the teams tied 2-2 in their meeting which was played at Appalachian State due to Hurricane Matthew.