Men's Soccer Erases Three-Goal Deficit, Downs UMass Boston in Double Overtime

BOSTON, Mass. – Four unanswered goals, including the game-winner in the 107th minute, earned the Bears of Bridgewater State University (5-4) a 4-3 double overtime victory over UMass Boston (7-4) on Tuesday afternoon at Clark Athletic Field.

Conor Murtagh notched the game-winner for the Bears in the second extra session as he connected for his first collegiate goal.  Murtagh received a long pass from midfielder Camilo Mora which he pushed forward with his head.  With the ball up in the air, Murtagh was able to get around a Beacon defender and with a one-timed a shot inside the far post to seal the victory for the Bears with exactly three minutes left in the match.

The 4-3 overtime decision marked the second straight for the Bears over the Beacons.  Last season, UMB came from behind, but was edged out on a golden goal late in the first overtime.

Despite being out played by the Bears in the opening minutes the Beacons eventually settled down and would use a Marcus Pizzetti free kick goal to take a 1-0 lead into the half.  Pizzetti would score his second free kick goal of the afternoon less than four minutes into the second half to put UMB up 2-0.  The final goal for the Beacons came from Edmilson Barros on a penalty kick after a Bridgewater player was whistled for a handball in the box.

With the Beacons seemingly in control of the lead, the Bears knew they had to increase the pressure in hopes of closing the large gap on the scoreboard.  Bridgewater got on the board in the 62nd minute when Colin Neri scored off a rebound of a Justin Kachadoorian shot.  From there it was the Bears' leading scorer, Craig Shadduck, who evened the score at 3-3 to force the overtime play.

Shadduck made it a one-goal game on a penalty kick in the 79th minute after UMB was whistled for a take down in the box.  Then, with less than five minutes to play in regulation, Shadduck drove home a flick from Danielson Andrade to knot the score at three apiece.

With only one shot recorded in the final four minutes of action the two squads headed to overtime.  The Beacons held a 3-2 shot advantage in the first ten-minute overtime session, but were unable to capitalize on their chances.

In the second overtime, Bridgewater State held the edge in play as the Bears outshot the Beacons, 5-3.  However, Anderson Espana nearly ended the game with a rocket of a shot from 18 yards out, but that was stopped dead by a tremendous save from BSU keeper Matt Bagley.  Bagley, who notched his fifth win of the campaign, made a total of three stops.  Alfonso Rosales recorded six saves on the afternoon, and made an impressive stop of his own moments after Bagley in the second overtime.

Combined the Beacons held a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks, but it was all Bridgewater State in the shots category as they ended the contest with a 27-13 advantage including a 10-6 edge in shots on goal.