Box Score Game Box (PDF)
Clinton, S.C. – Presbyterian scored a goal just 1:00 into the first overtime period to take a thrilling 4-3 victory over USC Upstate in the season opener for both teams Friday night in Clinton, S.C. The goal capped an entertaining match that saw both teams hold leads before watching the other storm back into the match.
Upstate fell to 0-1-0 to start the season and will travel to Boiling Springs, N.C., to take on Gardner-Webb at 7:00 pm next Wednesday. Presbyterian is 1-0-0 after Friday's win.
Presbyterian struck early in the match to gain control, netting goals in the second and third minutes to open a 2-0 lead and forcing Upstate to play with a sense of urgency for the rest of the match. The Blue Hose got things started with an opportunistic goal just 1:22 into the match. A loose ball in the box was gathered up by Josh Carter who put the shot away into the right side of the goal for a 1-0 Presbyterian lead.
Just 1:09 later, Presbyterian was awarded a free kick from near the right sideline. Ignacio Monchetti took the kick and bent a ball toward the goal. The ball deflected off a player and into the goal for a 2-0 Blue Hose lead, though the deflection was not intentional.
Upstate took a little while to settle back into the game offensively, only getting off two shots in the first 39 minutes. However, the Spartans settled in and took two shots over the final six minutes of the half to put some pressure on the Presbyterian defense. In fact, the Blue Hose defense came up with a key play blocking a shot from Upstate's Dave Musambi (Ottawa, Ontario) on a solid scoring opportunity in the 42nd minute. Despite the late pressure, the Spartans went into halftime with a 2-0 deficit and trailed PC in shots, 8-4.
Upstate came out firing early in the second half. After PC got a shot off in the first two minutes, the Spartans strung together three shots in a span of six minutes. Upstate did not net a goal, having one shot sail high, a second shot saved by Blue Hose goalkeeper Tyler Beadle and a third just heading over the bar after a corner kick.
Upstate's relentless pressure finally broke through just under 15 minutes into the second half and Musambi had a hand in both goals as Upstate tied the match at 2-2. Musambi fired a shot that was saved by Beadle, but the ball came off Beadle's hands and Eli Cothran (Walhalla, S.C.) was there to put the shot away to get Upstate within one, 2-1, in the 58th minute.
Just 44 seconds later, Musambi found the back of the net to tie the match on what was a tremendous individual effort. The junior took possession of the ball well outside of the box, battled his defender moving toward the goal. He made a quick turn, curled around his defender and fired a shot into the net past Beadle in the 59th minute.
Musambi narrowly missed a golden opportunity to put Upstate ahead with a little more than 15 minutes to play. He was played a ball well into the box and he and Beadle were in a dash to get to the ball first. Musambi was able to get a touch on it and deflect it away to the left from Beadle. However, as the ball was about to cross over the end line, Musambi got a shot off, but it just nicked the post and went over the end line for a goal kick.
With time winding down in the game, Upstate's Marvin Schmiege (Berlin, Germany) took a corner kick and bent a cross toward the goal. The ball came down and deflected off a PC defender and into the net for a goal as Upstate took a 3-2 lead in the 82nd minute.
Just as it seemed Upstate had gained control of the game, PC struck back in a seesaw battle of old rivals. Monchetti had a hand in PC's third goal, getting free on the right side and firing a shot that was saved by Upstate goalkeeper Dani Alvarado (Leander, Texas). Alvarado, though, could only deflect the shot and Ian Dempsey collected the loose ball and put a shot away to tie the game at 3-3 in the 84th minute.
An entertaining second half saw Upstate own a 13-4 lead in shots as the Spartans dominated play. After a late flurry of activity, the game headed into overtime.
Presbyterian opened the game with two quick strike goals. Unfortunately for Upstate, that trend continued in overtime. Shortly after the start of overtime, Monchetti played a ball off to the left side of the box to Carter. Carter streaked toward the goal and put the shot away to give the Blue Hose a 4-3 win, the goal coming exactly one minute into the overtime period.
Upstate finished the game with a 17-13 lead in shots.
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