LANGHORNE, PA - The men's soccer team gave a commendable effort Saturday afternoon in their effort to secure the team's first ever appearance in the NCAA National Tournament, but unfortunately, things didn't go exactly as planned.
The Crimson Eagles jumped out to a 1-0 lead over Keuka College in the NEAC Championship game when sophomore Graham Foster put in his fourth goal of the season off a Derek Mosely assist with five minutes left in the first half.
The start of the second half saw the intensity continually pick up and play become more and more physical as time wore on. Despite the physical environment and the combined 35 fouls and six yellow cards between the two teams throughout the game, PBU was able to keep their defense tight and maintain their slim lead for the first 17 minutes of the second stanza. However, Storm forward Ian Stevens changed the tide of the game at the 62:37 mark when he managed to rocket a shot past PBU keeper Andy Ecker to tie the score at one apiece and give Keuka the momentum heading into the back end of the game.
Both teams remained in a deadlocked draw for the next several minutes, but things ultimately took a turn for the worst for the Crimson Eagles when their defense broke down for the second time in ten minutes. Keuka's Brandon Scott got by PBU's back line and scored his second goal of the tournament to help the Storm take a 2-1 lead heading into the final 17 minutes of play.
The Crimson Eagles had several chances in the final minutes but couldn't finish any of the opportunities awarded to them, sealing the final score at 2-1 and giving Keuka a hard earned NEAC title.
Notably, the men's soccer team has been unbeatable at home this year up until Saturday, as the loss marks the first time this year that the Crimson Eagles have been defeated at home. It also snaps PBU's recent four game winning streak. The soccer team's record stands at 15-5-2 for the year while Keuka improves to 10-6-1 and will now have the opportunity to play in the NCAA National Tournament.
Although the defeat was disappointing to say the least, the Crimson Eagles still have life as it gives PBU the opportunity to travel to Florida to participate in the NCCAA National Tournament. The tournament will be held next weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Monday. Check back to the website later for more details.
