Heat advances to UPSL Mid-Atlantic Final in 4-0 Win over Sporting
- Forrest Wimberly
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
It was a Tom Marriott natural hat trick and some lockdown defense as the South Carolina United Heat posted a 4-0 win over visiting Sporting Soccer Academy in the UPSL Premier Mid-Atlantic semifinals. The Heat will host Electric City in an all-South-Carolina final to be played in Columbia on June 27.
The top-seeded and undefeated Heat controlled most of the match over their Tennessee opponents as they enjoyed most of the possession and most of the scoring chances as the Heat look to win double titles this season after already winning the regular season title. Tom Marriott opened the scoring in the 20th minute after collecting a cross from Alex Lopez from the left flank just outside the Sporting area. Marriott picked his spot and the scrambling Sporting keeper was unable to block the shot slotted into the low, back post netting.
Marriott scored again in the 27th minute, this time from the right flank, as Heat captain Seth Hanson turned the corner on an incisive dribble into the box and rifled a ball across the top of the goal box. Marriott was first to pounce on the cross timing his run to perfection before smashing the ball into the Sporting net for the second goal.
“A lot of the time today, I didn't really do a whole lot,” said Marriott. “A lot of the time the players helped me a lot. I mean, the first and second are both kind of simple goals…the team did a lot of the work, especially the third goal was just finding me in opening space.”
Other than a couple of free kicks and some hopeful long balls, the Sporting attack sputtered all half long and never really threatened the Heat defense keeping the score 2-0 heat at the half.
Marriott was on his hat trick in the 57th minute after some sharp Heat passing found Marriott all alone in a pocket of space at the top of the box for him again to collect the ball and pick his target in the back of the Sporting nets for the commanding 3-0 advantage. Sporting just never had an answer for the Heat attacking pressure and could not control any midfield spaces or generate any attacking movements to try and climb back into the match.
The final Heat goal came in the 66th minute as a Max Landau free kick from the edge of the area bent into the back post to put an exclamation point on the 4-0 statement win. Both teams substituted heavily over the final 20 minutes, and the match ended with the Heat advancing comfortably to the final.
“Everybody's bringing their way,” said Marriott. “Everybody's playing the best they can and we're coming into the playoffs in really good shape. Everybody's reaching their peak at the right time.”
Starting Heat goalkeeper Andreas Kokoska and substitute keeper Robert Morales combined for the shutout win. The Heat will now host Electric City who defeated Gastonia FC 2-0 in the other semifinal.
“One more game to go, the final, so this is just the beginning,” continued Marriott. This is the capability of this team. The season itself is only to get us to this point. And if we can get further and further…that's the goal. We set out at the start of the season to go as far as we can. And this season, it's like we did the regular season and now it's a brand-new season. We start again...game by game, and we know if we win, we keep going. I don't think many teams right now can beat us.”
The UPSL Premier Mid-Atlantic Final at the Southeastern Freight Lines Soccer Complex is set for 7 PM on June 27.
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