Eastern University forward Terry Fry
scored his second goal of the game in the 101st minute to
lift the Eastern University men's soccer team to a 2-1 overtime win
over Ursinus College.
It is the second straight overtime contest between the two teams. In 2007, Ursinus scored a 97th minute goal in the rain to emerge with a 2-1 win. The Eagles responded to that defeat with wins in six of their next seven games, a conference championship, and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
This
year, the Eagles looked as though they were going to win the game in
regulation. Fry gave the Eagles an early lead when he finished a ball
at close range on a rebound of a Brian Raffle shot. Even with the lead, the hosts continued to
force the action throughout the first half and held a 6-1 advantage in
shots at the break. Michael Alfieri made four saves in the Ursinus goal to keep the Eastern lead at 1-0.
Though
the Eagles held much of the possession early in the second half, the
possession did not result in genuine scoring chances, and Ursinus got the chance they needed in the 80th minute. John George set up Abe Cabllo to tie the game at one. Both teams had a single shot in the final ten minutes of regulation, but neither team could break the tie.
This game was the third overtime game of the year for the Eagles. Eastern beat Drew and drew with King's in their two previous extra-time affairs. Ursinus won their only other overtime game this year with a 2-1 win over Wesley College.
After a listless first overtime period, the Eagles jumped out of the gate with a chance that Fry tucked home for his team-best seventh strike of the year. Eastern improves to 7-4-1 on the year.
With
their non-league schedule now completed, Eastern enters the heart of
Freedom Conference play this Saturday with a 3:00 pm homecoming game
against Wilkes University.
Box Score