IMMACULATA, Pa. – The Neumann University men's soccer team moved one step closer to an Atlantic East Conference championship on Tuesday evening, coming from behind to knock off host Immaculata University by a score of 2-1 in the conference semifinals.

Eddie Proud was the hero on the night for Neumann with the game-winning goal, while Chris Siemien also scored for the Knights. Seth Walker was strong in goal, stopping six shots to pick up the win.

Looking to avenge a regular season loss to the Mighty Macs, Neumann saved a much stronger performance for when it mattered most. The Knights buzzed early and often in the opening half, creating the game's first great chance when a Siemien shot deflected off the post in the 13^th minute. Neumann generated five of the contest's first six shots, but none would end up in the back of the net as the game remained scoreless.

Immaculata began to take over momentum in the game midway through the frame. The Mighty Macs got in behind the Neumann back-line on a half breakaway in the 23^rd minute, but Walker made an outstanding save coming off his line to thwart the hosts' effort and keep the game 0-0. Unfortunately for the Knights, Immaculata kept coming though and took a lead in the 26^th minute as a shot from distance eluded a diving Walker to put the Mighty Macs up 1-0. Neumann would close the period with three of the final four shots in the frame and carry an 8-5 edge in shots into the break, but the visitors had nothing to show for it, still trailing 1-0 at halftime.

Knowing they could raise their game to another level to start the second half, the Knights wasted no time fighting their way back into the contest. Just 2:33 into the stanza, Neumann earned a throw-in deep in the Immaculata end and took full advantage. Proud lobbed in a ball that was flicked to the back post by Gabe Romero and smashed home by Siemien to knot the match up at 1-1 with 42:27 left to play. Most of the remainder of the period would be back and forth, with each team generating quality chances at both ends. Again, Neumann had the better of the play early in the frame, while Immaculata carried play in the middle portion of the half.

With just over 10 minutes left to play, the Knights again found another gear. After clearing a ball off an Immaculata corner, Neumann found Proud on the left flank and the junior created a bit of individual magic. The midfielder beat one Mighty Mac defender off the dribble, diced his way inside past two more defenders then turned towards goal and skinned an Immaculata center back before rifling home a shot to the top left of the net to send the Neumann bench into jubilation and also give the Knights a 2-1 lead with just 10:15 remaining.

The final 10 minutes were a master class of lock down defending from Neumann as they closed out the contest. Getting hard fought minutes from numerous players off the bench, the Knights allowed just three weak shot attempts from the Mighty Macs as they sealed up the huge semifinal victory by a score of 2-1.

Neumann (8-10-1) returns to the Atlantic East Conference Championship game for the second time in three seasons and will take on top seeded Cabrini University on Saturday, November 6^th. Game-time is yet to be determined, but please check back to neumannathletics.com for more details on the match in the coming days.