ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — Averett men's soccer had its season ended in a heartbreaking 3-2 double overtime loss to third-seeded N.C. Wesleyan College in the USA South Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
 
Cougars' senior midfielder Nathan Brown opened up the scoring in the 17th minute when he took a through ball from fellow senior Christopher Koenig and slipped the ball to the right of the Battling Bishops' goalkeeper Jesper Olsson for a early 1-0 Averett lead.
 
N.C. Wesleyan (13-5-1) came close to tying the game in the 18th minute, but Julius Oskarsson's shot hit the post. The Battling Bishops' Thorfinnur Thorfinnsson tested Cougars' senior goalkeeper Martin Erenstedt a minute later, but Erenstedt was able to come up with the save, keeping the score at 1-0 in advantage of Averett (6-11-1).
 
However, N.C. Wesleyan's Joe Storer took a cross from the left by Thorfinnsson in the 41st minute and headed it into the net, knotting the score at 1-1.
 
Brown scored his second goal of the game three minutes later when he capitalized on a mistake by the Battling Bishops' defense in the 44th minute and buried his shot past Olsson, giving the Cougars a 2-1 edge going into the half.
 
Averett held the lead for a majority of the second half, but N.C. Wesleyan's Xavier Mensah took a Caetano Viegas cross from the right and booted it into the goal, tying the game at 2-2 with just seven minutes left in regulation. The Battling Bishops' Halldor Bjarneyjarson came close to giving them the victory in the 88th minute, but Erenstedt was able to come up big for the Cougars.
 
 Cougars' senior defensive midfielder Sam Muir fired off a shot in the 102nd minute, but Olsson denied Muir's attempt. Junior midfielder Jordan Palma found Muir on a corner kick 20 seconds later, but Muir's boot was blocked by N.C. Wesleyan's defense. Palma recorded his second shot of the game in the 104th minute, but his attempt went wide right of the mark.
 
The Battling Bishops' Charles Chapin took a drop back pass from Viegas in the 104th minute and found the net, giving them the 3-2 victory.
 
Brown paced the Cougars with three shots and Muir and Palma each added two attempts. Koenig fired off a shot with his assist and junior midfielder Justin Lloyd had one look on goal as well. Freshman forward Tobias Andreasson booted one attempt as well. Erenstedt recorded 13 saves in between the pipes for Averett.