ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University men's soccer team led for the majority of regulation, but a goal in the final seconds led to a 1-1 double overtime tie against Albion (Mich.) College in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play at the Weaver Soccer Field.
Trine (5-3-4, 3-3-3 MIAA) wasted no time putting a shot on net early in the contest with junior J.T. Plavchak (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) recording the game's first scoring opportunity just 46 seconds into the first half. A few minutes later, Albion (4-6-3, 1-6-2 MIAA) tallied a scoring opportunity of its own, but both shots were saved by each team's respective goalkeepers, keeping the game scoreless.
The game then continued at an end-to-end pace until the 35:24 mark when the Thunder went ahead on the scoreboard with a marker by freshman Jonathan Slone (Troy, Ohio/Troy Christian) off of a free kick by fellow freshman Beau Hill (Allen, Texas/Allen).
Trine recorded a final scoring opportunity before the end of the half with a shot from junior Kurt Wysocki (Avon, Ohio/St. Edward) that ended in an Albion save, but the Thunder would have a one-goal advantage at the break with a halftime score of 1-0.
In the second half, both teams maintained the back-and-forth pace. Trine looked to go up by two goals late in the period on a lob shot from long range by junior Ben Moricz (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) that was the result of the Briton netminder being out of position. But the Albion goalie managed to recover to put enough of a hand on the shot attempt to push the ball over the crossbar and keep the one-score margin.
Then in the final seconds of regulation, Albion managed to net the game-tying goal with 12 seconds remaining, making the score 1-1 to send the contest into overtime.
The first overtime period saw Trine record the only shot attempts that included another shot on goal by Slone which ended in another save for the Britons. The other shot for the Thunder came off the foot of Moricz and sailed high. After 10 minutes of extended play, the score remained deadlocked at 1-1, forcing a second overtime period.
Just after the midway point of the second overtime, Trine got a man-up advantage as an Albion player received his second yellow card of the contest, resulting in a red card and forcing the Britons to play a man down the rest of the way. The opportunity led to a scoring chance off of a header by senior Mason Pelphrey (Portsmouth, Ohio/Clay), but the shot was stopped, keeping the game knotted at 1-1. Albion posted an opportunity of its own in the final minute of play that resulted in Trine freshman goalkeeper Connor Werschem (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport) coming up with the stop to preserve the tie. Neither team recorded a shot to end the overtime period keeping the scoring at a goal apiece for each team for the 1-1 tie.
Werschem played all 110 minutes for Trine in goal, allowing just the lone goal, while making three saves.
Trine will host Olivet (Mich.) College on Saturday, Oct. 14 at Weaver Field. The game will be part of a MIAA soccer doubleheader with the Thunder women's team who will also be taking on the Comets. The women's game is scheduled to begin at noon, followed by the men at 2 p.m.
