After a miraculous run through the Southern Conference playoffs and a first-round upset of the UNC Tar Heels in the NCAA tournament, the Paladins’ men’s soccer season ended with defeat. After the emotion-filled upset in the first round, the Paladins squared off against the 13th-seeded Marshall Thundering Herd in Huntington, W.V. on Nov. 24, where they faced an obstacle too tall to conquer.
The Thundering Herd stepped on the pitch as the eighth-best team in the nation per United Soccer Coaches rankings. Their 12-1-7 record and second-place finish in the Sun Belt Conference awarded the Herd a first-round bye in the NCAA tournament, so their championship run began against the Dins.
Unfortunately for the Dins, the Herd had no interest in becoming the next victim of a Furman upset and jumped on top early in the game. The tie was broken in the 21st minute when Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos scored from the penalty spot to put the Herd up 1-0. A deflected ball off of freshman midfielder Malachi Grant’s elbow was enough for the referee to issue the penalty kick. Marshall was not content with the 1-0 lead, however, and added three more goals to the tally in under two minutes.
Furman entered halftime down 4-0 and was in need of a second-half miracle, which the Paladins ultimately did not get in their final match of the season.
Although the end of every season brings about some sadness, there is much to celebrate from this season for the Paladins. Clinching a Southern Conference championship and berth in the NCAA tournament is an unrepeated achievement at Furman since 2018. Additionally, winning in the tournament was the cherry on top of a season that exceeded many people’s expectations for the Paladins.
Looking forward, a great deal of depth and talent will be returning for Furman in 2025. Key players like sophomore goalkeeper Aaron Salinas and freshman forward Wilfer Bustamante will lead the Paladins next year, along with many other underclassmen who served in notable roles throughout the season. The graduating class consists of several Paladins that will be missed in Furman’s lineup next year, including captains Ivan Agyaakwah and Christian Kraus.
