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NEWARK, Del. - - Each team nearly ended the contest with a goal at the end of regulation, but it was a Sam Jester Blast exactly seven minutes into the first overtime that gave the Wilmington University men's soccer team a hard earned 2-1 victory over Holy Family at the WU Athletics Complex on Tuesday afternoon.
The win was the fifth in a row for the Wildcats (6-0-3) who remained undefeated on the year and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (4-0-1). The loss was only the second in the last six game for the Tigers (4-5), who dropped their first CACC contest of the year (4-1).
The Wildcats help possession for the majority of the first half, but couldn't find the back of the net despite holding an 8-5 advantage in shots and a 10-2 advantage in corners taken.
It didn't take long for the Wildcats to capitalize in the second half however, as one of those corners finally paid off. Daniel Loyo was on the back post and slotted a deflected header from Will Stone into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute. But the lead didn't last long, as the Tigers answered with their first chance of the second half. Elliot Johnson nearly broke up the play in the box, but the jammed ball bounced in favor of Will Stackhouse and he was able to beat Vinny Tasca low to tie the match, 1-1, in the 60th minute for the Tigers.
The Wildcats had a goal wiped off the scoreboard in the 74th minute as a late out of bounds call was made once the dust settled.
The Tigers had an opportunity to grab a late lead as Holy Family's Sean McCormick found himself alone and in on Tasca. He worked around Tasca, but his shot was cleared off the line as Ellis McSharry came flying in to keep the game at 1-1 with one minute left in regulation.
The Wildcats then used that and headed down the other way, as Fredik Bentdal ended up wide open in front of the goal off a feed from Will Stone with four seconds left. But his shot sailed on him, hitting the top of the crossbar and headed out of bounds as the game headed to overtime.
After Tigers' goalkeeper Mark Tobin saved two shots to start the overtime period, Sam Jester ended the contest with three minutes left in the first overtime, blasting a shot off his hands from 15 yards out for the 2-1 victory. It was his fourth goal of the year, but first game-winning goal.
The Wildcats four-game home stand concludes on Saturday with the 2018 Homecoming Weekend contest. They will cap a tripleheader at the WU Athletics Complex with a game against Concordia starting at 3:00 p.m.
