Highlanders Close Out Regular Season With Shutout

RADFORD, Va. - Radford men's soccer closed out its regular season with a 1-0 shutout of Furman in a non-conference game Saturday afternoon at Patrick D. Cupp Memorial Stadium. (Box Score)

The Highlanders closed out the regular season at 7-5-4 overall, and are guaranteed the first winning season since 2000. It will be the sixth winning season at Radford for head coach Spencer Smith.

A fairly even contest, Radford broke through with a goal after Furman keeper senior Alex Maslow (Charlotte, N.C.) deflected a high cross to the top of the box. Junior Andres Hernandez (Arlington, Va.) collected the loose ball and fired a rocket into the lower left corner to give the Highs a 1-0 lead at the 43:46 mark of the first half.

Both teams had open shots throughout the second half but both Maslow and RU keeper junior Omar Zinoveev (Young, Uruguay) turned the strikes away. Maslow made three saves while Zinoveev stopped five Paladin shots.

Furman held the edge in shots, tallying nine to RU’s six and corner kicks, six to three. The physical game included 24 Paladin fouls and 18 by Radford.

Radford will enter the 2004 Big South Conference Tournament with a 3-3-1 League record. RU will be the fifth seed in the single-elimination tournament, which begins Thursday in Birmingham, Ala. The Highlanders will face fourth-seeded Liberty at 6:00 pm in the first round.

Furman, who finishes the regular season 6-9-2, will play in the Southern Conference Tournament beginning Thursday.