NASHVILLE, TN. – Halloween proved to be a historic night for the Kentucky Wesleyan College men's soccer team. In the Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular season finale, the Panthers emerged with 3-2 victory over Trevecca Nazarene University. Daniel Nkurunziza scored twice on the night, helping propel the Panthers to the sixth seed in the upcoming G-MAC Tournament.
 
The Panthers will visit Thomas More for the second time this season on Saturday in the quarterfinals. This marks the first G-MAC Tournament appearance for the Panthers since the spring of 2020, a 6-1 loss at Cedarville. 
 
On Tuesday night, the Panthers were playing short-handed, but it was all about what they did with the players on the field. Daniel Nkurunziza scored the first goal of the match in the 20^th minute. The lead was shot lived as the Trojans (5-10-2, 4-8-2 GMAC) tied the game five minutes later. 
 
The Panthers (8-4-6, 5-4-5 GMAC) took seven shots in the opening half with one being on goal. Moritz Bauernfeind and Jacob Boling both saw their shots at the end of the half sail off target. 
 
From the start of the second half, the Panthers were the aggressors, flooding the TNU with chances to score. The Trojans' defense was bailed out by the play of keeper Giuliano Palma who made two spectacular saves against Max Wawrin and Matteo Napoletano in the 61^st minute. 
 
Off the corner kick, Wawrin saw his shot saved to the right, Palma got up and stopped Napoletano's effort to break the tie off the rebound. In the 67^th minute Palma stopped Hannes Gronevik's shot with a dive to the bottom of the net. 
 
In the 76^th minute Nkurunziza barreled through the Trojans defense to score giving the Panthers a 2-1 lead with 13 minutes left in the match. Napoletano nearly added another score in the 79^th minute, but another save led to a frenzy towards Arthur Hill and the Panthers goal. Sam Barrionuevo fired a long shot just above Hill's hand and just beneath the crossbar to tie the match. 
 
With just over five minutes left in the match, Napoletano converted the game-winner through traffic. The Panthers' defense took care of the rest running out the clock. Hill made six saves on the night.
 
The Panthers will make their second trip to Thomas More on Saturday. It will mark Wesleyan's second visit to the Saints since October 21st. The match is scheduled to for 3 PM CT. 
 
Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCpanthers on Twitter and Instagram and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page.