Nov. 7, 2004

Box Score

EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois Edwardsville scored two second-half goals and defeated Lewis 2-0 Sunday in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Men's Soccer Championship final.

Third-seeded Lewis (16-3-2), ranked 17th nationally and the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region, was seeking the GLVC crown for a second consecutive year and an eighth time overall.

But top-seeded SIUE (16-2-2), ranked 11th nationally and No. 2 in the Great Lakes, managed to avenge a 3-1 loss to the Flyers in last season's GLVC title game.

Despite the loss, Lewis is expected to be one of 24 teams invited to the NCAA Division II Championship that begins Thursday. The Flyers will know for certain Monday if they have earned the program's fourth national tournament bid in five seasons, and also if they will host the three-team Great Lakes Regional.

TIto Lara did what he could to find the net Sunday, registering four of the Flyers' six shots on SIUE goalkeeper Nicholas Frasca. Sergio Lira had the other two for Lewis, which recorded five shots on goal in the second half. Lewis goalkeeper Jordan Gustman made six saves.

The home-standing Cougars took a 1-0 lead at 52:14 on Adam Lanter's unassisted goal. Mike Banner (Brian Higgins assist) added an insurance tally at 78:20.