August 29, 2014
Golden goal drops Wolverines in opener
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Sophomore midfielder Dale Reese (Rocky Hill, Conn./Loomis Chaffee) scored just over three minutes into the game, but the Grove City College men's soccer team couldn't hold onto the lead, falling in overtime to visiting NAIA-member Mount Vernon Nazarene University, 2-1, in their season opener at College Field on Friday evening.
Reese scored the opening goal in the fourth minute by finishing a through ball from junior forward Seth Loew (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) to give the Wolverines a 1-0 advantage.
Grove City would continue to control the game through the first ten minutes, but MVNU began to gain momentum from that point forward, holding the Wolverines without a shot over the final 32 minutes of the half to keep the score 1-0 at halftime.
The Wolverines were forced to play the final 37 minutes of regulation with just nine field players after freshman Blake Baer (Bedford, Pa./Bedford) was disqualified after receiving his second yellow card of the match. The Cougars took advantage, netting the equalizer in the 71st minute when Ian Johnson headed home a cross from Enrique Salazar.
The Wolverines would threated just a few minutes later when senior Jordan Carmichael (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) would rebound a deflected shot but Cougar goalkeeper Adam Miller was able to come up with the save.
A Grove City foul in the 95th minute would set up the game's final play, as Preston Spurrier's free kick deflected off a Wolverine defender and Gerardo Avelar was able to finish for the game-winner.
Junior goalkeeper Ben Weaver made four saves in goal in the loss.
With today's match, 18 of Grove City's last 39 matches have now gone to overtime. Last season, the Wolverines set an NCAA Division III record by playing in 11 overtime matches.
Grove City (0-1) returns to action tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 p.m. when they host Pitt-Greensburg. The Bobcats fell to Geneva 4-2 this evening.