Greene’s OT Strike Sends Lehigh Past Navy
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A golden goal in the 96th minute by sophomore Oscar Greene lifted the Lehigh men's soccer team to its first win in Patriot League play on Wednesday evening against Navy. Freshman Will Smith made five saves in goal for his second win of the season. Freshman Zaren Tutin notched his first career goal to tie the match in the 55th minute, as Matt Morana, Doyle Tuvesson and Tommy Dokho all registered assists. With the victory, Lehigh improves to 4-6-1 (1-2 PL), while the Midshipmen drop to 2-6-2 overall, and 0-3 in Patriot League play.
"It definitely feels good to get three points, which we really needed in the league," said head coach Dean Koski. "It's important to get those wins at home. I don't think either team was great on the day, but it was a hard fought battle for both teams and the overtime goal was huge for us."
Navy notched the first scoring opportunity of the game just over two minutes in with a high shot that was tipped over the bar by Will Smith. Tuten got Lehigh's first scoring chance of the game in the 23rd minute with a blistering shot that sailed wide of the right post.
Navy's second shot on goal of the half proved to be the one that put them on top 1-0. Diego Manrique sent a free kick down towards the goal, where the ball was deflected by Andrew Hopkins through a sea of defenders back towards the middle of the goal box, where Thomas Moore sent it into the top of the net from in close for his first goal of the season.
All three of Navy's shots in the opening frame went on goal, while the Mountain Hawks mustered seven shots, but none of them went on net.
Navy garnered another scoring opportunity coming out of the locker room in the 46th minute with a deflection off a corner kick, that was saved on the line at the near post by Dokho before being cleared out.
The Mountain Hawks would draw even off a 55th minute corner kick. Morana served a ball into the top of the goal box, where Tuten headed a rocket into the far-side top left corner for his first career goal.
Lehigh nearly took the lead with a 67th minute free kick after a takedown just outside the box, but the rocket of the foot of Mark Forrest sailed just wide.
Both teams traded scoring chances over the remainder of regulation, before heading to overtime.
The Mids nearly capitalized in the 93rd minute as Sam Bascom collected a ball that was punched out by Smith, who had ventured out of the net, but Bascom's shot sailed wide of the open goal.
Lehigh sent the home crowd off happy in the 96th minute thanks to Greene's game-winner from right in front. Dokho sent a pass long into the box towards goal, where it deflected off the head of Tuvesson and off a Navy defender right to Greene, who was all by himself in front and buried it top shelf for the game-winner. The goal was Greene's second of the season, with his other coming late in the team's season-opening 1-0 win at James Madison.
"We want to celebrate this in the moment, but then we have to move and get ready for Saturday," Koski said.
For the game, Navy held a 14-13 advantage in shots and a 6-3 edge in shots on goal, while Lehigh had seven corners to Navy's six.
The Mountain Hawks will return to the Ulrich Sports Complex on Saturday night at 7 p.m. against Army West Point.
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