PHOTOS | HIGHLIGHTS
HUNTSVILLE | Despite trailing by a goal in the 87th minute of the contest, the University of Alabama in Huntsville men's soccer team produced a thrilling overtime victory in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Gulf South Conference Championships, defeating visiting Delta State 2-1 in front of a large Charger Park crowd on Tuesday night.
 
The third-seeded Chargers improve to 13-4-1 with the victory and advance to the semifinals in Pensacola, Florida, while the No. 6 seed Statesmen end the year at 7-10-0.
 
With time running down on UAH's season, Florent Girardin provided the Blue and White with new life as he scored in the 87th minute to tie the contest at 1-1 after Delta State had made a 13th minute goal from Ricardo Filho stand to that point.
 
Girardin then assisted on the game-winner in the 98th minute, playing the ball into Leo De Smedt who fired it home with a raucous celebration commencing as the ball deflected off the keeper and into the back of the net.
 
The goal is De Smedt's third of the season, and each score has been a game-winning strike for the sophomore from France.
 
Girardin's tally that produced the extra time is his second of the year.
 
Though the home side trailed for much of the contest, it was the Chargers who dominated play, holding a 30-13 edge in shots and a 13-3 advantage in corners.
 
The Statesmen were kept in the game by keeper Jonathan Hilton who made eight saves, and his teammates assisted with more two stops on UAH's total 12 shots on goal. Hilton's counterpart Michael Winstone recorded a pair of stops in picking up the win for the Chargers.
 
UAH will now travel to the Sunshine State where the team will square off against second-seeded West Alabama in the semifinals. Kickoff at Brosnaham Park is slated for 4:30 p.m.