Daniel Webster upsets PSU Men’s Soccer in ECAC Tourney
PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Sixth-seeded Daniel Webster College made
the most of its first career Eastern College Athletic Conference
(ECAC) post-season berth Wednesday evening, upsetting third-seeded
Plymouth State University at Panther Field in an ECAC New England
Tournament first-round game decided by penalty kicks.
The game finished in a 3-3 tie, but Daniel Webster advanced to the ECAC semifinals after making all six of their penalty kicks and winning the PK round, 6-5. The Eagles were on the ropes with their season on the line late in the game when they scored the game-tying goal with just 12 seconds left in regulation to force extra soccer.
DWC improves its best season ever to 12-5-1 and will face second-seeded Castleton State College (11-7-3) in Saturday's semifinal (site and time TBA). Castleton moved on Wednesday with a 2-1 triumph over seventh-seeded Norwich. PSU completes its season at 9-8-1.
The teams traded goals just a minute apart early in the game. PSU freshman Parker Spear (Sodus Point, N.Y.) put home a rebound off a long shot by senior Amsal Alic (Sarajevo, Bosnia) at 12:05, and DWC got on the board with an own goal when an errant drop pass from a Panther defender got past the PSU keeper at 13:34.
PSU went ahead 2-1 six minutes later when junior Ryan Joy (Concord, N.H.) fed Semir Mehmedovic (Zvornik, Bosnia) with a nice through ball, and Mehmedovic knocked home his first of two goals in the game. It stayed a 2-1 game through the remainder of the half, despite an 8-4 shot advantage for the home team.
Mehmedovic worked a give-and-go with Spear 10 minutes into the second half to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead. It was Mehmedovic's team-leading 18th goal of the season and his fifth multi-goal game.
Daniel Webster started its comeback with 20 minutes remaining when freshman Joel Jerrhag (Ystad, Sweden) tallied an unassisted goal to cut the deficit to 3-2, and freshman Elliott Kilgore (Milford, N.H.) converted a long free kick by sophomore Alex Jackson (Kent, Ohio) just inside the far post at 89:48 to send the game into overtime.
Plymouth State had a 7-1 advantage in overtime shots, but neither team could score, which set up the penalty kicks and the final outcome.
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