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Carlos Luna Carlos Luna
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Men's Soccer

Guest's Late Goal Leads Men's Soccer to Upset of No. 14 West Virginia

Panthers to Play for MAC Championship Sunday

Box Score DEKALB, Ill. – Junior Justin Guest's goal with less than 15 minutes to play gave the No. 3-seed Georgia State men's soccer team a 1-0 win over No. 2 seed and No. 14-ranked West Virginia in the semifinal of the MAC Championship on Thursday afternoon.

It was Guest's fifth goal of the year, tied for the second-most on the team, and sends Georgia State (12-5) into the MAC Championship Game on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The Panthers will play either No. 1 seed Northern Illinois or No. 4 seed Bowling Green. It also marks the seventh-straight year that Georgia State has reached the championship game of a conference tournament.


Georgia State topped a ranked opponent for the eighth time in program history and the second time this year after defeating No. 13 Akron 3-1 earlier in October. The win marked the sixth-highest ranked opponent that GSU has ever defeated on the pitch and the first time defeating two ranked opponents in the same year.

Guest's goal came in the 76th minute off a pass from All-MAC Second Team member Ross Finnie.
 
All-MAC First Team goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg was only credited with one save, but faced eight shots and provide the heroics in goal with multiple other deflections while also having a bit of luck as West Virginia (11-3-4) had multiple shots go off the posts and crossbar.

MATCH NOTES
  • Georgia State earned its first win over West Virginia in three chances and extracted revenge on a 2-1 loss to the Mountaineers two weeks ago.
  • GSU has reached the championship came of the conference tournament the last seven years with the previous six coming in the Sun Belt Conference.
  • GSU has combined for a 7-4-4 record in conference tournament play the last seven years.
  • The Panthers last won a conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2018. GSU also failed to advance three times to the NCAA Tournament after falling in PK's (2015-Hartwick, 2019-Coastal Carolina, 2020-Coastal Carolina).
  • This marks the second time in three years and third time in five years the Panthers have won 12 matches. GSU didn't accomplish it last year but played just 13 matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Players Mentioned

Ross Finnie

#4 Ross Finnie

M
5' 9"
Junior
Justin Guest

#15 Justin Guest

M
5' 9"
Junior
Gunther Rankenburg

#1 Gunther Rankenburg

GK
6' 3"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Ross Finnie

#4 Ross Finnie

5' 9"
Junior
M
Justin Guest

#15 Justin Guest

5' 9"
Junior
M
Gunther Rankenburg

#1 Gunther Rankenburg

6' 3"
Junior
GK