YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – The Auburn Montgomery Men's Soccer team's run in the 2021 NCAA postseason tournament came to a close in the "Elite Eight" on Saturday, Dec. 4 at the hands of a 3-1 loss to Nova Southeastern.
 
The setback sees AUM close out the season with a record of 11-5-4 overall, its highest win total since 2014.
 
After a scoreless first half, the Sharks jumped on AUM early in the second with goals in the 54th and 58th minutes to grab a 2-0 lead.
 
AUM got back to within one goal in minute number 63, when Franck Kouentchi hammered home a through ball from Elijah Saint-Marc for his team-leading sixth score of the season.
 
Nova Southeastern would regain its two-score lead in minute number 76 with a goal, however, giving way to the 3-1 final.
 
Renan Diniz, Juan del Castillo, Kouentchi, and Saint-Marc all tallied a shot on goal for AUM on the day. The Warhawks finished the contest with six total shots taken.
 
In goal, senior keeper Alexander Kraus stopped seven shots before seeing his 2021 record fall to 11-4-3. Kraus finishes out his AUM career with a record of 26-19-12 in goal, highlighted by a total of 17 career shutouts and a mark of 21-8-5 over his last three seasons.
 
 "I want to say thank you to all of the seniors that put everything into this program," Head Coach Matthew Thorne said. "I also want to thank each and every one of our players for what they've done and helped us achieve this season. This is a special group of young men that went down after getting knocked out of the conference tournament and put together a run like this to get all the way to the elite eight. I'm very, very proud of these boys. Losing in the finals of the super region is tough, but for me I have to look on the brighter side of things and be grateful for everything that this team has been able to accomplish. When the dust settles in a few weeks we'll be able to look back and be proud of what this team was able to accomplish, especially the seniors. I'm proud of the lads and proud of this whole program. Up the Warhawks."
 
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