Statesmen Dominate Pioneers in Region Semifinals

SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, VA – The #1 seeded Richard Bland College men's soccer team moves to 12-3-3 overall after hosting the #5 seed Spartanburg Methodist College Thursday afternoon in the Region 10 Semifinal. The Pioneers upset #4 seed USC Union 2-1 to advance to the semifinal round.

Multiple Statesmen were credited in the dominating victory over the Pioneers this afternoon. The scoring began in the 17^th minute when Daniel Nunfio served a ball into the six yard box to Eric Calderon who pushed the ball around the keeper to put Richard Bland ahead 1-0. 11 minutes later, Bruno Oliveira Barros and Nate Newberry teamed up for a Newberry tally off a cross and one touch to the back of the net. In the 43^rd minute, Samir Spaulding tallied one of his own and would close the first half scoring, taking a 3-0 lead into the half. Two minutes in the second half, Calderon assisted Nicholas Ihnat to push the lead to four. 15 minutes later, Seraphim Davis found Ihnat to increase the lead to five. Jeffrey Espinoza closed out the scoring in the 79^th minute off a ball from Otto Eisenhardt, to earn a 6-0 win over the Pioneers.

Thomas Seymour earned the start in net for the Statesmen. He was credited with six saves in 75 minutes of play. Mason Dycus came in for the final 15 minutes of play and tallied two saves.

The Richard Bland men's soccer team will host USC Lancaster in the Region 10 Championship on Saturday, October 28^th at 1pm. In their first meeting of the season, the Statesmen earned a 2-2 draw. In the second meeting, the Statesmen struggled on the road, falling 0-2 to the Lancers.