Lehigh battles for 3-2 2OT win at RMU
September 18, 2015
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Lehigh men’s soccer team used a golden goal from senior Jamie Luchini 25 seconds into double overtime to secure a big 3-2 road win at Robert Morris Friday evening. The Colonials tied the game at two with five minutes left in regulation and stopped a Lehigh penalty kick in the first overtime period, but Luchini’s goal later secured the victory as the Mountain Hawks move to 4-2 overall and Robert Morris falls to 4-3.
“I’m very pleased with how the team responded to adversity today,” said head coach Dean Koski. “The game was tied up in the final minutes on a miscue and Robert Morris then stopped a penalty kick in the first overtime, but the guys maintained consistency and pressure and found a way to come out on top. I thought we did a really good job of creating opportunities throughout the entire game.”
Freshman Mark Forrest and sophomore Doyle Tuvesson scored Lehigh’s first two goals. In addition to his game-winner, Luchini also assisted the Mountain Hawks’ other two goals. Tuvesson and Forrest were credited with assists on the golden goal.
The Mountain Hawks fired off the first three shots of the game, one of which was stopped by Robert Morris keeper Brenden Alfery. The Lehigh defense kept the Colonials from tallying a shot until a foul in the box resulted in a Robert Morris penalty kick. RMU’s leading scorer Neco Brett stepped up to take the penalty shot and sent it past sophomore keeper Joe Bogan to give the Colonials a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute.
The Mountain Hawks evened the game just three minutes later when Forrest made a nice move to get open on a Lehigh throw-in and took the ball just inside the left side of the 18-yard box and into the far corner to put the score at 1-1.
Bogan was forced to make his first save of the game in the 56th minute on a shot from Brett. The Mountain Hawks scored a go-ahead goal in the 58th minute when a free kick from Luchini found the foot of Tuvesson, who deflected the ball into the lower right-hand side of the net to put the Mountain Hawks up 2-1.
The Lehigh defense kept Robert Morris from firing a shot until the Patriots found an equalizer in the 85th minute when Rafael Bruzual flicked a long ball over Bogan’s head to make it 2-2. Bogan made a key stop two minutes later to keep the game knotted and send the Mountain Hawks to their first overtime period of the season.
A Robert Morris foul in the box set up Lehigh penalty kick just under two minutes into the first overtime period. Sophomore Jack Miskel took the kick for the Mountain Hawks, but Alfery was able to make the stop with his feet despite diving the opposite direction of the kick. A Tuvesson shot was the only other attempt of the first overtime period.
Just 25 seconds into the second and final overtime, Tuvesson beat an RMU defender on the right side to get off a pass to Forest who made a pristine cross that Luchini was able to one-touch into the back of the net to secure a 3-2 victory for the Mountain Hawks.
Final shots stood 18-9 in favor of the Mountain Hawks and Lehigh also held a 5-3 corner kick edge. Bogan finished the match with two saves, while Alfery stopped five.
The Mountain Hawks continue their road trip Sunday with a 1 p.m. game at Saint Francis.
“The key in these Friday-Sunday weekends is recovery,” said Koski. “We need to take care of our bumps and bruises and get everyone rested for Sunday. These weekends are always good preparation for postseason play.”
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