Gophers Forge Frantic Comeback to Tie in ECAC Quarterfinal, Alvernia Prevails in PKs.

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Gophers Forge Frantic Comeback to Tie in ECAC Quarterfinal, Alvernia Prevails in PKs.
November 13, 2022

TOWSON, Md. - Second-seeded Goucher College scored twice in the final five minutes of regulation to force overtime and an eventual 2-2 tie with top-seeded Alvernia University in an ECAC tournament quarterfinal on Sunday at Beldon Field.  The Golden Wolves advanced to next weekend's semifinal round with a 4-3 win in the penalty kick shootout.

First Half

  • Neither side had a shot on goal until midway through the first half when Alvernia's (11-4-6) Connor Kraycik put a shot on that was saved by Goucher (10-4-6) goalie Ale Sternini (Rome, Italy/Williston Northampton).
  • Just over a minute later, the Golden Wolves took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Franc Turcios-Ramos.
  • Goucher generated a corner kick with two minutes to go in the half.
  • Yaya Diabagate (Hyattsville, Md. / International HS at Langley Park) sent a shot wide in the closing moments of the half.

Second Half

  • Alvernia increased its lead to 2-0 1:09 into the second half as Kraycik scored.
  • Will Frasier (Hereford, Md./Hereford) had a shot saved by Alvernia keeper Evan Solley with just under 30 minutes left in regulation.
  • Five minutes later Solley made a save on a Bobby Beringer (Okinawa, Japan/Richard Montgomery) shot.
  • Goucher kept pushing up as it eventually outshot Alvernia 15-3 in the second half.
  • Beringer pushed a header just wide with 10 minutes to play.
  • Sternini made a save on a shot by Austin Chambers in the 83rd minute.
  • With 4:15 left, the Gophers got on the board as Diabagate scored.  After a restart from midfield, Jeremiah Odubade (London, England/Fairmont Heights) tapped a short pass to Diabagate who put it past Solley from the top of the 8.
  • Odubade sent a shot just high with just over two minutes to go in regultion. 
  • With just over a minute left Goucher tied it as Ali Kazim Nakhid (Beirut, Lebanon/UMBC) scored his 11th goal of the season.
  • Andres Aristimuno (Huger, S.C./Oceanside Collegiate Academy) played a ball on the ground to Nakhid, who delivered a low shot from 12 yards out to tie the game.

Overtime

  • Neither side put a shot on goal in the first overtime.
  • Alvernia found itself down a man in the 95th minute when an AU player picked up his second yellow card on the day.
  • Isaiah Perry (West Hartford, Conn./Hall) put a shot on goal seconds into the second extra session that was saved by Solley.
  • Solley made a save on a shot by Aristimuno midway through the second OT.
  • Aristimuno had another shot saved in the closing seconds of play.
  • In the shootout both teams made their first two penalty kick attempts.
  • In the third round, Sternini made a save while Jonathan Alvarado (Hyattsville, Md. / International HS at Langley Park) converted his PK to put the Gophers up 3-2.
  • In round four, after the Golden Wolves converted, Goucher missed to tie the shootout.
  • Alvernia made its fifth penalty kick, while Solley recorded a save on the fifth Gopher attempt to move Alvernia to the ECAC semifinals.

Numbers and Notes

  • Goucher finished with a 24-10 shot advantage, including 21-6 after halftime.
  • The Gophers also took seven of the game's 10 corner kicks.
  • Sternini made two saves for Goucher, while Solley recorded five stops.
  • Aristumuno led Goucher with five shots on the day.
  • Goucher, which was making its first-ever ECAC appearance, finishes with its most victories since 1992 and tied for the second most in program history.
  • The Gophers also finished above .500 for the first time since 2014.

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