It's not how you win in the playoffs, just that you win. That saying could not have described the men's soccer game any better on Wednesday. The Chargers came out flat, but overcame a weak start to shutout the Valley Forge Christian College Patriots 3-0 and advance to the NCCAA East Region Final on Friday.

The Chargers, hosting VFCC (9-8) at Franklin & Marshall College because of poor field conditions at LBC, gave up two shots and two corner kicks in the first four minutes to the visitors and were back on their heels for much of the game's first 10 minutes.

"We came out very slow, but we survived it," Charger Head Coach Josh Beers said.

As LBC began to gain control of the game, it became apparent that Cory Greiser and Lawrence Lartey were the best players on the field and had room to manuver. The pair made the Patriots pay in the 20th minute.

Lartey's pass through two defenders found Greiser who put the ball past VFCC goalkeeper John Schanck inside the left post.

"I was breaking in and Lawrence found me," Greiser said. "It felt good to put us ahead."

The score remained 1-0 through halftime before Lartey put the Chargers up 2-0 just three minutes into the second half. A Patriot turnover in their own box was collected by Lartey who shot the ball inside the left post for his seventh goal of the year.

Kevin Keltner put the game away with a header off a corner kick from Zak Kraehmer just five minutes later.

"I was pleased with how we played in the second half after the way we played in the first half," Beers said. "It was a very workman like effort and we did what we had to do."

Beers was happy that his best players stepped up when they needed to.

"Lawrence is still discovering how good he can actually be," Beers said. "And Cory Greiser did a lot of things that don't get on the scoresheet, but are very important to this team."

Friday's final will pit the Chargers (14-6) against arch-rival Philadelphia Biblical University. Both Greiser and Beers know that to compete with the Crimson Eagles, they will have to play much better than they did on Wednesday.

"We have to come out harder than we did today," Greiser said. "The pace will be different on Friday and we need to be ready."

Beers wants the players to embrace their playoff run and not be tenative.

"I told the guys I want them to embrace the moment and enjoy it," Beers said. "I want them to face it and appreciate the challenge."

Despite losing last year's East Region Final to PBU 3-2 at home, Greiser said the Chargers aren't thinking about that and have left that game in the past.

"It's going to be a harder game on Friday, but we'll be ready," Greiser said.


Look for a LBC-PBU game preview on Wednesday.