Men's Soccer Drops Overtime Thriller In NEAC Championship

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The Wells College men's soccer team concluded its best season in team history with a 1-0 overtime loss to Morrisville State College in the North Eastern Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Championship Game. The Mustangs have earned the league's automatic qualifying bid and will head to the NCAA Division III men's soccer tournament later in the month.

The Express finished its 10th season as a varsity program with a 13-7 record, setting team records in overall victories (13) and conference wins (9). Wells finished with the most-ever team points scored, tallying 34 goals and 31 assists for 99 points (34-31=99). The team's 4.95 points per game on offense is also a team record, as is the squad's collective 0.93 goals-against average. 

After 90 minutes of scoreless action in regulation time, the Express and Morrisville State headed to its second overtime contest of the year. Only 1:52 into the overtime stanza, the Mustangs' Joe Sheehan was granted a corner kick that he quickly sent into the mix. Bouncing around in the goalmouth, the ball kicked backwards toward the empty net and would have crossed the goal line without incident, but a Wells player made a desperate lunge to save the guaranteed goal. 

Per soccer rules, an automatic red card was issued and a penalty kick opportunity was granted to Morrisville State's Danny Peckham, who fired home his third goal of the season to win his team's second-straight NEAC Championship. The Mustangs' Alan Peckham was selected as the NEAC Men's Soccer Tournament Most Valuable Player for his defensive efforts. 

Wells goalkeeper Owen May (Warsaw, N.Y.) was the star of the game for the Express, turning away several sure goals in regulation time. He finished with eight saves, the second-most he has made all season. The Express backfield also made several impressive plays throughout regulation, limiting the Mustangs to nine shots on goal out of the team's 21 total attempts. 

Morrisville State backstop Rob Larkin picked up the win for the Mustangs, posting three saves on three shots.