GREENWOOD – The No. 18-ranked Lander men’s soccer team overcame a slow start to net three second-half goals as the top-seeded Bearcats knocked off eighth-seeded UNC Pembroke, 4-0, on Tuesday night in the Peach Belt Conference quarterfinals at Van Taylor Stadium.
Lander, which defeated the Braves, 9-0, earlier this season, improves to 13-3 overall, while UNC Pembroke ends the season at 5-11. Lander will face fifth-seeded Flagler at 11 a.m., Friday, at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Ga., for the PBC tournament semifinals Flagler defeated fourth-seeded Francis Marion, 2-1, in its quarterfinal match.
Sam Lofts gave the Bearcats a 1-0 lead at 33:44 when he took a Richard Bryan pass and netted it from just in front of the goal.
The Bearcats pushed their advantage to 2-0 midway through the second half when George Knight collected a Jamie North free kick and scored at 61:46.
Lofts scored his second goal of the evening on a pass from Knight at the 74:35 mark and Michael Leach ended the scoring when he lobbed a shot into the upper-left corner off an assist from Tyler Bolton at 81:59.
Lander outshot the Braves, 20-8, and led in corner kicks, 8-3.
UNC Pembroke goalkeeper Lucas Gusmao grabbed four saves, while Lander’s Dean Cowdroy had two.
