Farmivlle, Va. - Despite Liberty battling back to tie the contest three times, a goal during the 98^th minute pushed the Longwood Lancers past the Flames, 4-3, in overtime, Wednesday night at Longwood Athletics Complex. The contest was the final regular season match for both teams.

      The reigning Big South Attacking Player of the Week Pepe Segarra scored twice and Rigoberto Rojas netted a goal in the contest for the Flames. It is the second straight game that Segarra has scored twice in the match.

      Liberty, who entered the contest having already qualified for the upcoming Big South Men’s Soccer Championship field, sees its unbeaten streak end at four games. The Flames finished the Big South regular season at 4-3-1 in conference play and 7-8-2 overall. With the win on its Senior Night, Longwood secures a place in the upcoming tournament field, improving to 3-5 in conference and 6-11-1 overall.          

      All three first half goals came during a 2:16 span early in the opening half. Despite outshooting the Lancers, 8-4, during the first 45 minutes, the Flames trailed at halftime.

      Longwood scored the first goal of the match at 11:09. Midfielder Dan Campos dribbled into the left side of the 18-yard box and found the net with a sharp-angle shot from the left post for his first goal of the year and a 1-0 advantage.

      Off the restart, Liberty knotted the contest. Rojas collected a loose ball near the box, beat Longwood goalkeeper Carlos Canas and lined his third goal of the year into the open net to tie the match at 1-1 at 11:28.

      The Lancers struck less than two minutes later. Off a free kick from 40 yards out, Marten Pajunurm scored his first goal of the season. Campos lifted the kick inside the goal box, where Pajunurm turned and fired a shot into the upper part of the net to again give Longwood the lead, 2-1, at 13:25.

      Liberty came close to tying the match during the 21^st minute. Midfielder Jovanni Chavez found Rojas with a pass near the top of the box. Gaining the top left corner, Rojas lined a shot towards the far right corner, hitting the goalpost.

      The Flames opened the second half on the attack. Liberty worked Chavez free for a shot from 20 yards during the 50^th minute. The rising shot by the midfielder forced Canas to deflect the ball out over the net. Longwood cleared the ensuing corner kick.

      At 68:27, Liberty tied the contest. Forward Tresor Mbuyu, the Big South’s points leader, sent a crossing pass to left side of the box. Segarra pounced on the ball and found the right side of the goal for his first score of the game and his fifth of the year, knotting the contest at 2-2.
      For the third time in the match, Longwood staked itself to an advantage at 71:15. Campos, the Big South leader in assists, pushed the ball into the 18-yard box for forward Max Poekler. The forward turned and scored his seventh goal of the year, giving the Lancers a 3-2 edge.

      Liberty found the equalizer during the 78^th minute. Mbuyu sent a pass from the left side of the box towards the far right post. The crossing pass hit Segarra in stride right in front of the net for the score at 77:56. The midfielder’s second goal of night and sixth of the year, tied the match at 3-3.

      A bicycle kick save by a Lancers defender kept the Flames from taking an advantage late in regulation. A pass ahead by Liberty forward Martin Agredo found the foot of Mbuyu for a shot towards the far right post. A Longwood defender rushed back and used a bicycle kick to knock the ball away from the goal line to prevent the go-ahead goal during the 82^nd minute.

      Moments later, a foul gave Liberty a free kick in the center of field from 20 yards out. Off the kick, Agredo fired a shot, only to have Canas stop it to send the match to overtime.

      In the first overtime, Longwood’s Campos scored for the second time in the contest for the 4-3 victory. On a free kick from just above the 18-yard box on the left side, Campos placed the kick into the top of the net at 97:20 for the win.

      Liberty held a 22-13 advantage in shots and a 4-1 edge in corner kicks in the match.

      Flames goalkeeper James Knoebel made two saves in the contest. Lancers goalkeeper Canas recorded eight saves.

      With its regular season complete, Liberty now awaits the completion of the Big South regular season later this evening to find out the official seedings and match-ups for the upcoming Big South Men’s Soccer Championship. The tournament gets underway with two quarterfinal matches, Sunday.

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