KISSIMMEE, Fla. – For the second straight year the Lee men's soccer team will be battling for a NCCAA national championship when they face Bethel College (Ind.) on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the Austin-Tindall Soccer Complex.

The Flames fought Gulf South Conference opponent Shorter University for the entire 90 minutes and gained revenge for an earlier season 4-2 defeat by turning back the Hawks 2-1.
 
"It's great to be back in the final for the second straight year," said Lee coach Paul Furey. "I'm very proud of our guys who have played with focus and heart."

The Flames broke open the hard-hitting match in the 23^rd minute when reliable Quade Marinell picked up an assist from Justin Furey. Shorter bounced right back and sent the contest into a 1-1 tie at the break as Ivan Espinal collected an assist from Ryan Horn in the 26^th minute.

The two GSC squads traded blows until the 68^th minute when Jonathan Finley fired a bullet into the box that actually bounced off the knee of David Perez and rolled past Shorter goalkeeper Nicholes Ferrigno.

"In big games you need your big players to show up and we got that from Quade and DP (Perez)," explained Furey. "Our back line was solid again today and Jonathan (Finley)  was not only tough in the air but also set up the winning goal for us."

The Hawks actually outshot the battling Flames 19-12. Ten of those 19 shots were on goal but senior goalkeeper Joey Hinshaw stepped up with nine key saves. Ferrigno also played well on the other end of the pitch, coming up with six saves.

"Joey (Hinshaw) has once again stepped up to the challenge and played huge for us with a couple of saves," said Furey heaping praise on his senior keeper.