Camels advance to Big South men’s soccer final

by Dunn Area Sports Staff | Nov 7, 2022 | Campbell, News & Features

Tyler Young sets to strike Campbell’s first goal in the Big South semifinals.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

BUIES CREEK — Kemy Amiche scored two goals and top-seeded Campbell defeated Presbyterian 5-0 Sunday night in the Big South Conference men’s soccer tournament semifinal at the Eakes Athletics Complex.

Tyler Young and Adrien Gameiro added a goal and assist each for the Camels (11-3-5), who will play in their fourth league final in the last five seasons.

“We talked to our guys about trying to get the first goal because this type of semifinal environment; it just changes the game,” said Campbell head coach Dustin Fonder. “We were able to find the first and go up 3-nil at halftime, which gives you the opportunity to play a lot of players, rest some guys, and really manage the game properly.”

For the third time in four years, Campbell will host High Point in the Big South final when the Camels and Panthers square off Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Buies Creek.

“High Point’s a good team, a quality opponent, and it will be a quality final,” said Fonder. “We’ve got to show up with a good game plan, execute our game plan and refuse to lose if we want to punch our ticket to the NCAAs.”

On Sunday, Campbell nearly went ahead twice in the first five minutes when Presbyterian keeper Leo Stritter was forced to make acrobatic saves on shots by Daniel Hernandez and Jalen James.”

The Camels took the lead after 26 minutes when Adrian Morales dribbled to the end line and squared the ball across to Young. The two-time Big South offensive player of the year scored his fifth goal of the year through traffic.

Less than eight minutes later, Young set up Campbell’s second goal with his league-leading ninth assist. He drove a free kick into the box and senior center back Bissafi Dotte headed it home for his first goal of the season.

Amiche, who scored twice in a 3-0 win over PC (10-5-2) just eight days ago, came off the bench in the 26th minute and scored with just 2:34 remaining in the half off Angel Bacho’s feed.

Just 7:35 into the second period, Amiche added his team-high ninth goal after Gameiro dribbled deep into the left corner and crossed the ball to his fellow Frenchman.

Just over four minutes later, Gameiro dribbled by the PC back line and the freshman lobbed the ball over Stritter for his second goal of the season.

Campbell finished with a 15-8 edge in shots, including a 12-2 advantage in shots on goal. Ten of CU’s first 11 shots were on frame, the lone exception was a second-half volley by Dotte that just sailed over the cross bar.

Camel keepers Edu Rodriguez (two saves in 64 minutes) and Sean Ellis shared the shutout, Campbell’s seventh of the year.

The Camels improved to 20-0-4 all time in matches when Young, who repeated this season as the league’s top attacking player, has at least one point, including a 7-0-3 mark this year.

Campbell has won its last seven matches against the Blue Hose (outscoring PC 29-2 in that stretch) and owns an 11-5 edge in the series that began in 2011 when the Camels rejoined the Big South Conference.

CU stands 34-2-5 in its last 41 games (regular season and tournament) with Big South foes.

(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report)