Senior Carlo Basso put Simon Fraser University through to the sweet 16 with a golden goal in NCAA Division II men's soccer.
The Clan head to the third round of the NCAA championship tournament following Basso's game-winning strike in the 106th minute in a 2-1 victory over top-ranked Cal State Los Angeles on Saturday.
Basso, a former Great Northwest conference player of the year, took a cross from this season's top player Chris Bargholz to send the Clan on in national championship play.
Earlier in the week, SFU blanked California Baptist University 5-0 in the opening game of the Div. II tournament in Los Angeles.
"To come to Los Angeles and win against a fresh team is an amazing accomplishment," said SFU head coach Alan Koch in a school press release. "Our lads deserved the win tonight and literally battled to the end to achieve the desired outcome. I am incredibly happy for Carlo Basso. He has had a tough senior season, but came up big when we needed him most."
In the second-round win, Jovan Blagojevic opened the scoring in the 55th minute on a header off a long throw-in from Colin Jacques. Cal State tied the match in the 70th minute.
On Nov. 14, freshmam defender Alexander Kleefeldt gave SFU a 1-0 lead early in the first half.
Conference defensive player of the year Alex Rowley then tallied his first two goals of the season to put the Clan ahead 4-0 at the interval. Ryan Dhillon also scored in the opening half.
Jacques added a final goal for SFU midway through the final period.
Brandon Watson and Toscanny Pandu-Oesman shared the shutout for the Clan.
SFU will face the No. 2-ranked West region team, UC San Diego, in Denver, Colorado later this week.
