Eastern University Men's Soccer turned the tables on the previous weekend's results and beat a persistent FDU-Florham squad 2-1 in overtime. Phil Mantua converted a penalty kick in the 93rd minute to send the home squad to their first Freedom Conference Championship game. The Eagles will travel to Center Valley, Pa. to take on the top-seeded DeSales University Bulldogs in a 1:00 p.m. game on Saturday.

Mantua's game-winner came after a desperation tackle from the last defender brought the Eastern central midfielder down in the box. Mantua had gained entry into the box after a clever through ball from Sean Bonner. 

"I was confident," Mantua said of the penalty kick, "We have been taking them all week in practice and I changed up yesterday at the end of practice. There was never a doubt." The senior midfielder, who was one of six Eastern players to earn All-Conference recognition, brought his teammates to jubilation with his team-best fifth game-winner of the year.

Things did not always look so rosy for the Eagles. They struggled in the final third in the opening half, and gave back a goal advantage in the 76th minute. Dexter Lamparter nearly missed a highlight-reel goal with a blistering strike from 25 yards in the 12th minute that caught the outside of the left upright. Mantua had the next best chance of the second half when he found his way behind the Devil back line in the 36th minute only to have his low shot smothered by FDU backstop Kevin Herbert. Herbert made four of his five saves in the opening frame. 

After the intermission, the Eagles found the break they were looking for when first year forward Mitch Osterhouse crossed a ball into the danger area off a FDU defender and into the goal. Osterhouse had earned the end-line on the left side and was looking to find Mantua in the slot. While the pass never found it's mark, the result was all that the Eagles could hope for.

The one goal lead stood until Nick Maccarrone one-timed a loose ball in the 18 into the roof of the net to draw the Devils level. The visitors held a 4-2 edge in shots in the second half. The next best chance of the half, however, actually fell to Osterhouse, but the first year forward was unable to release a shot on a bouncing ball inside 10 yards.

Osterhouse returned to action last week after missing the majority of his first season in a walking boot. His presence in this afternoon's game made a difference for the home side.

While the game ended early in the overtime proceedings, it nearly ended almost instantaneously as Josh Martin's 20 yard bullet missed the lower corner of the goal by inches in the opening ten seconds of overtime. Martin collected a lofted ball from the intial tap on the left wing and immediately drove central. His third touch had potential written all over it but narrowly missed.

"Tons of credit to FDU, they battled us for everything today, Eastern Head Coach Mark Wagner remarked after the game, "We had to keep fighting to advance, and the guys came through. When he [the referee] called it, I waited to see if Phil looked over. He never looked. He just went and picked up the ball. I knew then that he was confident and that he was the right choice." Wagner, who was named Freedom Conference Coach of the Year in a release from the MAC Office earlier today, will look to guide his squad back to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last eight years as they travel to DeSales.

In addition to Wagner's award, six players earned recognition from the league. Mantua, Kyle Hurst, Ben Faro, and Braden Gross were all named to the first team. James Le and junior goalkeeper John Crowder earned second team nods. Le was tabbed as the Co-Rookie of the Year.