PURCHASE, N.Y. – The No. 5 seed Yeshiva University men's soccer team made history on Thursday evening, knocking off top-seeded Manhattanville College in the Skyline Semifinals by a score of 2-0 at GoValiants.com Field. Yeshiva will now play in the Skyline Championship match for the first time in program history.

The Skyline Final will take place on Sunday, against No. 3 seed United States Merchant Marine Academy, at Tomb Field beginning at 1:00 p.m. The winner will earn the league title and automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament. Merchant Marine defeated No. 2 seed Farmingdale State College, 1-0, in double overtime during the other Skyline Semifinal match on Thursday. 

In the Macs' (9-3-2) conference semifinal triumph, they scored both of their goals in the second half against the top defensive team in the league, as the Valiants' (9-5-4) stifling defensive unit only allowed an average of 0.75 goals against per contest entering Thursday's showdown. This marks the first time in program history that Yeshiva has earned a win over Manhattanville.

"The team was ready to come back to Manhattanville to challenge them after the regular season loss," Yeshiva University Head Coach Tobias Esche said. "We were in the game from the first minute and pushed until the end. Great effort by the entire team. Now we are hoping for a good final."

After both teams went scoreless in the first half, Yeshiva broke the ice during the 59^th minute, as senior Ethan Fettaya deflected the ball into the net through traffic for the first goal of the evening and the official match-winner.

Just over 11 minutes later, the Maccabees drew a foul inside the opposition's defensive box and were awarded with a penalty kick opportunity. Junior Lucas Baredes took advantage by lining the ball past the diving Manhattanville goalkeeper for his fourth penalty kick goal of the season, and 11^th overall tally of the year, to inflate YU's lead to 2-0 with 20:10 left to play in regulation time.

The Macs' defense held the Valiants to just two shots the rest of the match, on their way to the shutout victory and a berth in their first ever Skyline Conference Championship match.

Senior goalkeeper Benjamin Brener stopped all four shots he faced to earn his third solo shutout of the season for YU.

"It was an incredible night for the Yeshiva Maccabees," Fettaya said. "To be able to win 2-0 against the number one seed was a special feeling. The team put in maximum effort, and it showed in the results. Our focus shifts to Sunday."

For the evening, Yeshiva outshot Manhattanville, 14-9, and had the advantage in shots on goal, 8-4. The Maccabees took seven of the nine corner kicks that occurred in the match.

Fans, be sure to check out YUmacs.com, as well as our social media channels, for updates regarding Sunday's Skyline Championship match in Kings Point, N.Y.