Lions make a splash in playoff opener

ACA advances with 9-0 victory over Concord Academy

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
May 4, 2021

The No. 4 seed Asheville Christian Academy Lions were given 80 minutes when they hosted Concord Academy to open the 2021 NCISAA 3A Soccer Payoffs. They needed just little more than half that time to advance to the next round.

The 12-2 Lions welcomed the 4-6-1 Eagles to a soggy field in Swannanoa, May 4, but the steady rain did little to slow the offensive attack of the home team.

ACA scored its first of 9 goals at the 31:55 mark of the opening half and added another 11 minutes later. The Lions, led by head coach Brenton Benware, extended their lead to 5-0 within the first 30 minutes of the match. That advantage was increased to 7 goals by the end of the first half.

The Carolina Conference champion Lions picked up where they left off to open the second half, with a pair of goals within the first 5:03. The 9-point goal differential in the second half triggered the NCISAA mercy rule.

The win was the seventh straight for ACA, which finished the regular season 6-0 in the conference, and the third time this season the team has scored 9 or more goals in a match. The Lions will face the winner of the matchup between No. 1 Calvary Day School and No. 8 Hickory Grove in a location to be determined, Friday, May 7.

To see photos of the Lions first-round victory over Concord Academy, view the gallery below.