Appalachian State 3, Georgia Southern 2, OT
STATESBORO, GA. - Junior Shawn Berting scored both the equalizer and gamewinner as Appalachian State University men's soccer edged Georgia Southern, 3-2, in overtime Sunday, October 23.
With the win, the Mountaineers are now 7-6-1 overall, 2-2-1 in SoCon play, while the Eagles fall to 7-7-1, 1-5-0 in SoCon action. The win is also the Mountaineers' first in Statesboro since the 1993 season and the team's third in the last four meetings.
After a scoreless first half, the Eagles scored their first goal at the 60:06 mark as Brad Mitchum connected on a free kick from right outside the box, giving Georgia Southern the early 1-0 lead.
Appalachian answered back, as Happy Hall (Nassau, Bahamas)scored eight minutes later to tie the game off the helper from Juan Obregon (Eagle Rock, Colo.)
With 12 minutes to play in regulation, Lawrence Smith put the Eagles ahead off a corner kick from Stephen Jensen, 2-1. The Mountaineers responded, tying the game and sending it to overtime less than a minute later on Berting’s first goal of the contest, an unassisted tally.
The two squads played the next 10 minutes of regulation, knotted at 2-2 before heading to overtime.
Appalachian needed just three minutes of extra time to find the gamewinner as Naeem Frederick (Arima, Trinidad) sent a cross to Berting for the game-winner 3:04 into the overtime period.
Appalachian’s Alec Dufty (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) made seven saves on the day, while Georgia Southern’s Adam Webb recorded three.
Furman 2, Radford 1, OT
GREENVILLE, SC - Eliot Paschalis scored the game-winning goal in the final minute of the first overtime, and Brian Martin netted a goal and an assist as Furman defeated Radford 2-1 in overtime on Sunday afternoon.
The Paladins won an overtime game for the first time this season. In seven previous overtime games this season, Furman finished 0-3-4, with two of the overtime losses coming in the second extra frame.
"It is great to finally get a win in overtime," said head coach Doug Allison. "I am very proud of Eliot (Paschalis) for staying in the game and working hard to get the final goal. You can't say enough about our seniors. Sean Murray, Josh Villalobos, and Rhett Abraham have worked hard in our program for four years, and I am very proud of them today."
The one-goal victory is the 15th Furman match this season that has been decided by one goal or less. Every match has been a one-goal victory, a one-goal loss, or a tie, save a 5-0 win over Wofford last weekend.
Furman has allowed just seven goals in its last nine matches. The Paladins have surrendered more than one goal in a match just once since September 9.
Radford had a scoring chance in the 11th minute as Fernando Ramos' dipping shot from 25 yards forced Furman goalkeeper Bryan Amos into a diving save.
The Highlanders had another opportunity a minute later as Armando Romero's shot from the top of the box was tipped over the endline by Amos.
Radford looked to have taken the lead in the 15th minute as Jonathan Smith's low cross was knocked into the goal by Patrick Colas, but the assistant referee ruled Colas offside.
Furman's first opportunity came in the 23rd minute as Eliot Paschalis sent a through ball to Brian Martin behind the Radford defense. Highlander goalkeeper Omar Zinoveev came off his line to snag the ball before Martin could get to it.
Andrew Krysiak had a scoring chance in the 38th minute as he won the ball from a defender and sprinted toward goal. The freshman's point blank shot was saved by Zinoveev.
Martin had another opportunity in the 39th minute as he was behind the Radford defense. The freshman held off a Highlander defender as he entered the box, but his shot was saved again by Zinoveev.
Furman took the lead at the 49:24 mark on Martin's team-leading sixth goal of the season. Shea Salinas played an early corner kick to Rhett Abraham. The senior turned and played a low ball to the near post, where Martin flicked the ball into the net with his first touch.
Radford nearly countered with an equalizer in the 51st minute as Taylor Jenkins had a shot from 15 yards out off a corner kick that beat Amos, however David Prentice stood at the far post and cleared the ball off the line, preserving the Furman advantage.
Furman nearly got its second goal in the 53rd minute as Abraham played a through ball to Salinas behind the Highlander defense. Salinas banged a shot off a charging Zinoveev and the ball was cleared away by a defender.
Brian Martin's header in the 57th minute forced Zinoveev into a leaping save.
Radford tied the score at the 87:06 mark on Colas' fifth goal of the season. Andres Hernandez played a low cross from the endline across the face of the goal. Colas ran in from the top of the box and slotted the ball past Amos with his first touch.
In the second minute of overtime, Radford's Hernandez's shot from 20 yards nearly ended the match, but Josh Villalobos cleared the ball away at the far post.
Martin nearly ended the match in the eighth minute of overtime as his blast from 12 yards was saved by a falling Zinoveev.
Abraham had his chance in the ninth minute as Martin found him in the box, but the senior's shot was inches wide of the near post.
Eliot Paschalis ended the match at the 99:07 mark off an assist by Martin. A Martin through ball found Paschalis behind the Highlander defense. The sophomore from England touched the ball around the charging Radford `keeper and scored on an empty net for the game-winner, his fourth goal of the season.
Furman improves to 6-6-4 overall this season. With the loss, Radford falls to 8-5-0 overall.