MORGANTOWN, W. Va. - Steven Anderson scored in the second minute of the match, but the Lions fell 3-1 to West Virginia on Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament held at Dick Dlesk Stadium in Morgantown, W. Va.Â
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The Lions used a fast start similar to matches against Virginia and Oregon State to get the opener and quiet down the sold-out crowd. Jovan Prado took a feed on the left wing and slipped it through to a streaking Anderson. A lucky deflection of a Mountaineer defender took the ball right into Anderson's path and left him one on one with the goalkeeper. Anderson finished clinically and wheeled away in celebration.Â
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The Mountaineers equalized in the ninth minute before taking the lead before the clock hit the 20-minute mark. Â
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The Lions continued to battle in their first-ever quarterfinal appearance. Â
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Prado had a great opportunity to score in the 20th minute. Ale Fuentesal recovered a long ball before leading Anderson on the left side. Anderson squared a pass across the face of goal into the path of Prado, but he could not get enough power on the shot to put it past the Mountaineer goalkeeper.Â
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Tyger Smalls, who has been the hero on a pair of occasions in this NCAA Tournament, tried to get himself on the scoresheet in the 30
th minute. He received a pass from Okeefe Cunningham in the middle of the pitch and ripped a long-distance effort that went just wide right of the post. Â
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In the 60th minute, the Lions got a jolt of electricity when Tyler Trusner was left alone to rip a volleyed effort from the top of the 18-yard box. The senior hit the ball straight and true and the WVU goalkeeper had to parry it away. Â
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The Mountaineers added one more in the 67th minute, but the Lions did not give in.Â
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Trusner again provided some shock to the crowd after Smalls won a free kick just outside the penalty area. Trusner drilled a left-footed effort off the crossbar, inches away from grabbing some momentum.Â
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The Lions finish the season with their farthest tournament run ever, finishing as one of the final eight teams alive. Â