DURHAM, NH – The fourth-seeded Bryant men's soccer team battled top-seeded New Hampshire to a 0-0 draw before advancing to the America East Championship with a 4-2 advantage in penalty kicks.

In a rematch of last year's championship game, the Bulldogs and Wildcats played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer. Bryant then received two clutch saves from Antreas Hadjigavriel and goals from Kerman Sukia, Jonas Lyshoj, Marc Pitarch Bayot and Tibo Jacobs. 

The Bulldogs will now take on No. 2 seed Vermont in Burlington on Sunday, Nov. 17 in the championship game at 1 p.m. It marks Bryant's second-straight trip to the America East Championship match.

Game Information:
Score: Bryant 0, UNH 0 (Bryant advances penalty kicks, 4-2)
Records: Bryant (10-5-4), UNH (7-3-7)
Location: Durham, NH (Wildcat Stadium)

Key Moments:

• Tibo Jacobs secured the Bulldogs' trip to the championship in the fifth round of the penalty kick shootout by sending the ball into the right of the net past the keeper.
• Goalkeeper Antreas Hadjigavriel made four saves in regulation and overtime play, along with two more in the penalty shootout adding to his impressive clean sheet record. This marks Hadjigavriel's eighth clean sheet of the season.
• Christien Merritt made a crucial diving save in the second half of the match, in a keeper and player collision in the box, resulting in a loose ball, Merritt was able to block the ball with his body, maintaining the 0-0 tie well into double overtime.

Scoring Summary:

• N/A

Penalty Shootout Summary:

• In the first round, Kerman Sukia fired the ball into the upper left corner of the net, securing Bryant's first point of the shootout.
• UNH's Ibrahim Conde followed after Sukia, sliding the ball into the right back of the net, tying it up 1-1 for the Bulldogs and the Wildcats.
• Neither team was able to get a shot off in the second round as Bryant's Cristian Guirado fired it off the crossbar and Hadjigavriel made a diving save for UNH's response.
• Lyshoj shot quick to the left of the net, tucking the ball past the keeper to make it 2-1.
• Antreas Hadjigavriel then made a second save in the net, diving to his right to keep the Bulldogs up 2-1.
• Marc Pitarch Bayot then sent the ball high into the back of the net, putting Bryant up 3-1.
• Terry Makedika sent it in for the Wildcats making it 3-2 heading into the fifth round.
• Tibo Jacobs silenced the penalty shootout, sending the ball into the back of the net past the keeper to clinch a shootout win against UNH and advancement to the championship.

Game Notes:

• Bryant and UNH were meeting in the postseason for the second-straight year. The Bulldogs have advanced in both meetings, earning a 1-0 2OT victory in the 2023 America East Championship.
• Bryant is now 2-5-2 all-time against UNH, but owns a 2-1-2 record in Durham.
• The Bulldogs will be making their fourth championship game appearance in DI program history (2013, 2018, 2023, 2024).
• Wednesday marked the fourth 0-0 draw for the Bulldogs this season.
• Bryant leads the country in fewest goals allowed per game at 0.572.
• Bryant took ten shots even to UNH's ten.
• Bryant recorded a total of five shots on goal.
• Bryant had three corner kicks to UNH's four.
• Antreas Hadjigavriel made four diving saves in response to UNH's four SOG in regular play and double overtime.
• Hadjigavriel recorded his eighth clean sheet of the season and the 22nd of his Bryant career.
• UNH's goalkeeper made five saves.
• Five penalties were issued in the game.

Up Next:
Bryant will travel to face UVM in the America East Championship on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in Burlington, Vermont.