The Lee men's soccer team saw a historic season come to an end on Thursday night in the opening round of the NCAA D2 Championship. The Flames, playing in the program's first NCAA Tournament match, fell to Queens University (N.C.) 5-4 in penalty kicks after battling to a 1-1 draw through 110 minutes.
After the Royals jumped out to a 1-0 advantage early in the second half Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year Jared McWhorter found the equalizer in the 68th minute to tie things up at 1-1.
The junior led the team with five shots in the match and finishes the year with eight goals.
Queens tallied the first goal of the match at the 53:18 match as Boris Basara picked a great time to connect on his first score of the year.
"That's a tough way to end the season and all of us feel the sting for sure," said third-year Lee head coach Derek Potteiger. "But once you get over that moment, that ending, there is a bigger story that I am really thankful to have been a part of this year."
The Royals keeper Sebastian Kalk did not record a save in the match but came up huge with two saves in penalty kicks to help the North Carolina club advance to Saturday's Second Round match with host and top-seeded Lynn University.
Senior all-conference goalkeeper Daniel Hrenko posted four saves in the match and recorded a save during penalties. Hrenko ends his career with a 0.79 goals against average.
Sagi Rada, Eemeli Makela, Jonah Bryan and Samaan Williams all connected on their penalty kick attempts for the Flames.
Lee held a 9-7 edge in shots but managed just one on target, McWhorter's goal while Queens placed 5 of 7 shots on goal.
"These guys took a moment that was our lowest of the season and turned into our defining moment. And since that turn we have not been beaten and these men have competed together in a way that has been some of the finest moments of my career," said Potteiger. "2019 I think will go down as a season to remember in Lee men's soccer program history."
The Flames end the season at 12-4-5 suffering their last lost back on Oct. 18. The Royals move to 11-6-1.