Hampden-Sydney, Va. -- More than two hours after the lightning moved out of Virginia's Piedmont Friday evening, lightning struck again.

The later time, it was in the form of Manzi Shalita.

The University of Lynchburg freshman chased down a deflected ball in the box, sliding to beat the Hampden-Sydney keeper to it, and chipping it past the last line of Tiger defense into the net to send the Hornet men's soccer team into Sunday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship match.

Lynchburg, the tournament's fourth seed, will play host to either sixth-seeded Guilford or No. 7-seed Roanoke in Sunday's title match. The other semifinal, delayed longer by the passing storms Friday, is ongoing. Sunday's start time will be determined after the opponent is.

Friday's action at Hampden-Sydney College was delayed about 90 minutes due to weather, and the match reflected the delay with early sluggish play by both teams.

Lynchburg managed to get in the game with sustained pressure around the half's midway point, however, earning a corner kick in the 26th minute. Ben Mackey's delivery from the flag found Bhayle Kearns near the back post, and the senior headed the ball back toward the throng of players in front of the net.

Nick Foley, Lynchburg's 6-foot-2 center back, beat the field to it and headed it home for a 1-0 Hornets lead. Lynchburg carried the advantage into halftime, out-shooting the top-seeded Tigers, 8-6, in the first half.

Hampden-Sydney retaliated in the second half, scoring in the 57th minute thanks to an Emory Davis goal and neutralizing the Lynchburg set-piece attack, holding the Hornets off the board despite five corners in the second 45 minutes of play.

H-SC held on to force overtime, but the extra period was all Lynchburg. The Hornets took two shots -- both on goal and saved by Tiger keeper Gray Sutter -- in the early minutes.

The winner happened quickly. Returning to the offensive third in the 96th minute, Lynchburg reversed field in transition, feeding the ball to sophomore defender Seth Dale. Dale tried to play the ball in to the offense but was stymied, so he drove with the ball and tried to play it through, but it was deflected toward the right side of the box.

Shalita ran down the loose ball, played it off his chest and then his foot, and slid to beat the charging Sutter and kick the ball into the net for the golden goal, setting off the Lynchburg celebration.

It marks the second time in as many seasons that Lynchburg has eliminated Hampden-Sydney from the tournament on the Tigers' home field. Sunday's championship appearance will be Lynchburg's fourth time playing for the trophy in the past five seasons.

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--LYN--