JACKSON, Tenn. – For a while, the Harding men's soccer team has known that it was going to host the Great American Conference Tournament Nov. 3-5 and even that its opponent would be Southern Nazarene. But the Bisons had three games to play, two of them nonconference, before they could get the tournament underway.
Harding played the last of those three games Saturday, losing 2-1 to Union of the Gulf South Conference, and can know look forward to the postseason.
Harding junior Matheus Ribeiro gave the Bisons a 1-0 lead in first half. It was his second goal of the season and came on an assist from Abraham Lopez, who was playing in only his fifth game of the season.
Harding, now 7-6-3 overall, held the 1-0 lead at halftime. In the second half, Union managed only two shots on goal … and both resulted in goals.
William Valencia scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season for Union in the 74th minute, and Robel Dent's shot deflected off a defender for the game-winner in the 83rd minute. It was his fourth of the season for Union, who improved to 4-11-1 with the victory.
Harding, the regular season champion of the Great American Conference this season and the defending GAC Tournament champion, will begin its defense of that title Friday at 7 p.m. against No. 4 seed Southern Nazarene. The winner of that game will play the winner of No. 2 Ouachita Baptist and No. 3 Oklahoma Baptist Sunday at 1 p.m. in the championship game.
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