(10-14-06)
Box Score
West Haven, Conn. -- For the second time this week, a double-overtime penalty kick sunk the University of New Haven men's soccer team 1-0. This time, it was at Dodds Stadium on Saturday in the 102nd minute against #18 C.W. Post. After a handball call in the box, Anthony Baker put the ball into the lower left corner for the Pioneers victory.
New Haven (5-9-1, 4-2-1 ECC), which also lost 1-0 on a double overtime penalty kick to #13 Southern Connecticut on Tuesday, did find a silver lining on Saturday. The Chargers clinched a spot in the East Coast Conference tournament for the first time under third-year head coach Matt Verni, by virtue of New York Tech's loss to Mercy College.
That result sets up a showdown at Mercy on Tuesday, October 17 between the Flyers and Chargers, as the teams battle for third place in the league standings.
#18 C.W. Post improved to 12-2-2 with the victory and remained perfect in ECC play at 6-0. They have their own showdown looming with current top seed and nationally-ranked #2 Dowling College (7-0 ECC) on the 17th.
It was a clean and hard-fought game on Saturday, as the two teams combined for just 19 fouls and no cards in 101 minutes, 40 seconds of action.
With 32:36 to go in the second half, UNH appeared to take a 1-0 lead and celebrated a goal by Jelani Joslyn. Mike Wnek put a long, high pass in toward the box, and Joslyn played the ball out of the air for a low line-drive shot past the Pioneers keeper. But after some discussion, the line judge called Joslyn offsides and the goal was waved off, to the chagrin of Charger backers in the stands. Later, the team had an opportunity on a corner kick when a header by Damien Slubowski went just wide right of the goal.
With 8:20 remaining in the second overtime period, C.W. Post shot the ball from about 25 yards out and it hit a Charger player in the box. The head referee quickly signaled that it was a hand ball, setting up a penalty kick that was converted by Baker for the game-winner.
Both goalkeepers played well, with James Hilaire making 10 saves for the Chargers despite a slight leg injury late in the first half. Rocco Morelli stopped six balls for C.W. Post to preserve the shutout.
In addition to the ECC road showdown with Mercy College on Tuesday, the Chargers will also play at home on Thursday (Oct. 19) and Saturday (Oct. 21) next week.
