BECKLEY, W.Va. – The second goal of the game by junior midfielder
Andre Nicholson in the 110
th minute was enough to send the Concord University men's soccer team past West Virginia Wesleyan, 3-2, in the Quarterfinal Round of the Mountain East Conference Sunday evening at the YMCA Cline Complex.
With 51 seconds remaining in the second overtime period, and the same amount of time before the game was going to be decided on penalty kicks, Nicholson blasted a shot past the West Virginia Wesleyan (8-8-3) goalkeeper to lift to CU (8-4-7) to its first conference tournament win in program history.
In the waning seconds, sophomore midfielder
Tomas Kelly played a ball into the penalty area. After the ball glanced off a WVWC defender, Nicholson founded himself 1-on-1 with the goalkeeper.
The game had peaks and valleys throughout.
Nicholson ripped a shot from 25 yards for his third goal of the season in the 11
th minute. CU controlled the first half until the Bobcats scored off an own goal in the 41
st minute to draw even.
With West Virginia Wesleyan on the front foot for the majority of the second half, it was Concord that went back up in the 75
th minute. After a corner kick was kept in the attacking third, a scrum around the goal frame ensued. Kelly was able to find the ball at his feet and put it in the back of the net.
The one-goal advantage was short lived as the Bobcats scored off a corner kick of their own in the 76
th minute.
Kelly was turned away on a sprawling save in the 88
th minute to send the game to overtime. Sophomore goalkeeper
Keegan Grant made his first save of the game in the 94
th minute. And Grant had the crossbar help him out as the Bobcats banged a shot off the bar in the 97
th minute.
The only shot taken by either team for the next 12 minutes was Nicholson's goal.
Wesleyan had one last attempt after a Concord foul with 37 seconds remaining, but the shot from 35 yards was well high over the goal.
The game featured 27 shots with the Mountain Lions holding a 14-13 edge. Nicholson fired off six shots while Kelly and freshman forward
Ignacio Alvarez Maina both took three shots.
Wesleyan took one more corner than Concord, 5-4.
Concord faces Charleston in the MEC Semifinals 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Welch Athletic Complex on Charleston's campus.
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