NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University men's soccer sophomore midfielder Kyle Knoth (East Islip, N.Y.) headed in a left-footed feed from freshman Rainer Randell (Providence, R.I.) to give the Seahawks an early 1-0 lead in their Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) semifinal with Gordon College. Senior co-captains Bobby Ernst (Needham, Conn.) and Jacob Brigandi (Vernon, Conn.) collaborated on another header early in the second half as Salve Regina held on for a 2-1 victory to advance to the conference final for the first time since 2006.

In its regular-season meeting with Gordon (6-12-1) on Sept. 15, Salve Regina (15-5-1) gave up two first-half goals before rallying for a 3-2 victory. Ernst had netted a goal late in the first to end a five-game scoreless drought for the Seahawks against the Scots dating back to 2009.

Knoth's goal, his first of the season, came after a Mark Marino (Smithfield, R.I.) throw in from the far sideline then Randell and Issa Demirgioglu (Smithfield, R.I.) played a little give-and-go before Randell unloaded with his left foot.

Ernst scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season when he headed in Brigandi's free kick from the far sideline at the 60:18 mark. After Ernst subbed out, the Scots took advantage of his absence in the middle and went over the top on a free kick by sophomore midfielder Andy Guthrie (Beaver Falls, Pa.) that was headed in by freshman defender Dalton Weaner (Northbridge, Mass.) for his first collegiate goal.

Gordon's starting keeper Tim Hardy (Gorham, Maine) suffered an injury defending a loose ball near the foot of Seahawk sophomore Alex Wasilewski (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) who returned to action for the first time since he suffered an injury on Sept. 12 against Eastern Nazarene. Aaron Horton (Douglas, Mass.) relieved Hardy who never returned to the contest.

Salve Regina's Jeffrey L'Heureux (Litchfield, N.H.) made his sixth start of the season and stopped a pair of Scot shots for the victory.

Salve Regina, the No. 2 seed, now hosts the championship game on Saturday against No. 4 Nichols College as the Bison defeated top-seeded Roger Williams, 2-1 in overtime, in the other semifinal. No. 6 Gordon had advanced after upsetting No. 3 Endicott College on Oct. 27 in Beverly, Mass.