PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Freshman Ethan Bryce (Seymour, Conn.) scored his first collegiate goal in the 105th minute and Plymouth State University rallied from a 1-0 deficit to knock off the University of Southern Maine, 2-1, in double overtime in Little East Conference (LEC) men's soccer action at Arold Field on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Southern Maine took a first half lead on a penalty shot, but the Panthers' defense hung tight the rest of the way. Senior Eli Child (Woodstock, Conn.) pulled PSU even in the 66th minute and the score remained tied into the second overtime.
 
Midway through the second overtime, Child played a ball into the left corner where freshman August Westerholm (Stockholm, Sweden) delivered a perfect cross to Bryce, whose header found the back of the goal.
 
With the win Plymouth State improves to 2-8-0 (1-5-0 LEC), while the Huskies fall to 4-7-1 and 0-5-0 in the Little East.
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 2, Southern Maine 1 (2OT)
  • Plymouth State (2-8-0, 1-5-0 LEC)
  • Southern Maine (4-7-1, 0-5-0 LEC)

How it Happened:

• The Huskies took advantage of a handball in the box in the 21st minute and senior Zekariya Shaib (Portland, Maine) converted the chance with a low shot to the left corner.
• Southern Maine kept the pressure on and had multiple opportunities to extend the lead in the 13th and 14th minutes, but sophomore Nicolas Cornejo (Durham, N.H.) came up with a pair of huge saves to keep the one-goal deficit.
• PSU's first true chance came in the 60th minute. The Panthers' defense cleared the ball up field after a USM corner and junior Milian Eklund (Akersberga, Sweden) won the footrace to the ball before sending a left-footed cross to the back post, but Child's header was off the mark.
• In the 66th minute Bryce delivered a deep ball into the box that a Huskies' defender attempted to head away. Child settled the ball and delivered a half volley inside the left post to tie the score at 1-1.
• The Panthers nearly won it in the first overtime after Westerholm delivered a corner that bounced around the box before finding the foot of freshman Nolan McMann (Millville, Mass.), but his blast sailed high.
• Midway through the second overtime USM served the ball to midfield on a goal kick. Freshman John Christie (Pembroke, Mass.) won the 50-50 ball by chipping it ahead to Child, who sent Westerholm to space into the left corner. Westerholm, in stride, launched the ball to Bryce near the far post and his header was just out of reach of the Huskies' goalkeeper.

By the Numbers:

• PSU held a 16-12 advantage in shots.
• The Huskies earned 11 corner kicks to PSU's seven.
• Cornejo (2-8-0) made five saves to earn the win, while junior Jacob Statires (Hampton, N.H.) made three stops but dropped to 1-6-1 for USM.
• Each of the last three meetings between the two teams has gone to double overtime. The teams played to a 2-2 draw in 2019, and USM came away with a 2-1 win in 2018.
• Plymouth State improves to 7-1-2 over the last ten meetings.

Up Next:

• Plymouth State heads to Castleton University on Saturday (Oct. 16) for another LEC battle.