RICHMOND, Va. – Hjalti Sigurdsson scored a game-winning goal with 1:16 left to lift Dayton to a 2-1 win over VCU in a thrilling Atlantic 10 Men’s Soccer Championship final Sunday at Sports Backers Stadium.
 
The Flyers (7-6-6) capture their fifth A-10 title overall and the first since 2015 and earn the Atlantic 10’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. VCU (7-5-5), the A-10 Regular Season Champion and potential at-large choice, awaits the NCAA selection.
 
Sigurdsson scored on a header following a free kick off feeds from Geni Kanyane and Manny Day. The goal gave Sigurdsson All-Championship accolades and broke a one-all tie that had the game headed for overtime, despite the Flyers dominating lead in shots, 29-9.
 
VCU’s Jonathan Kanagwa opened the scoring with a goal at 9:41 in the first half. Kanagwa took a pass from Papa Toure and buried it in the bottom left of the goal off his right foot. The Rams carried that one-goal lead through halftime and midway into the second half, despite facing an offensive barrage that included a 9-2 advantage in corners from the sixth-seeded Flyers. VCU keeper John Ermini was strong in net, making five saves.
 
Dayton got the equalizer in the 68^th minute when A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player Kenji Mboma Dem scored in the upper left of the goal. Day, who earned All-Championship honors after assisting on both UD goals, got his first assist by feeding Mboma Dem.
 
Dayton keeper Dario Caetano was named to the All-Championship team, contributing five saves to the Flyers victory. His teammate Logan Brown, along with Day, Mboma Dem and Sigurdsson all earned All-Championship nods.
 
Torue, Kanagwa, Andrey Salmeron and Moussa Ndiaye all represented the Rams on the All Championship Team. UMass’ Michael Rojas and Davidsons’ Denis Krioutchenkov both made the tam as well.