RADFORD, Va. – Joe Mayer got Radford on the board in the 76th minute, then assisted on an insurance goal late, and the Highlanders advanced in the Big South Men’s Soccer Championships with a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Gardner-Webb on Tuesday night.

The seventh-seeded Highlanders (10-5-4) advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2010.  Radford moves on to face No. 6 Winthrop at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C. on Friday night at 7 p.m.

Chel Ho Park Kim added a goal for Radford on a play set up by Mayer in the 85th minute to seal up the win. Ryan Taylor needed to make just one save for his seventh shutout of the season and second in a row.

An evenly-played first half nearly ended with a Radford goal.  A corner kick from Jannik Eckenrode with 20 seconds left in the half found Ramzi Dridi for a clean look at goal – his hard shot went through the hands of diving Gardner-Webb goalkeeper Scott Krotee, and trickled to the goal line before Jon Ole Reinhardsen cleared the ball away and kept the game scoreless.

A second half corner kick, again by Eckenrode, led to Mayer’s goal.  Eckenrode served from the near side and found Mayer for a header inside the back post, giving the Highlanders a 1-0 lead.  The goal was Mayer’s fourth of the season.

Gardner-Webb was forced to play with only 10 men late in the match as Jonas Nader was sent off with a red card in the 82nd minute.  The Highlanders took advantage in the 85th minute, and a counter-attack breakaway led by Mayer found Park Kim ahead, who scored on a one-on-one with Krotee to extend Radford’s lead to 2-0.  The goal was Park Kim’s fifth of the year.

Radford had a 14-7 shot advantage in the match, including 9-2 in the second half to take control.  The Highlanders had six corner kicks to Gardner-Webb’s two.

Krotee made four saves in the loss for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, including three in the second half.   Gardner-Webb’s season ends with a record of 4-14-2.

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