ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. After producing two goals in the second half of Saturday's USA South Championship match, the fifth-seeded Methodist men's soccer team saw an untimely end to its season with a loss to second-seeded North Carolina Wesleyan University in the fourth minute of overtime.
The result of Saturday's game doesn't do justice to the season that was had by the Monarchs, who lost to just two Division III opponents during the regular season.
JUST THE FACTS
Final score: North Carolina Wesleyan def. Methodist, 3–2 (OT)
Records: Methodist 6-4-11, North Carolina Wesleyan 9-8-2
Location: Scalf Field; Rocky Mount, North Carolina
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Methodist got behind from the jump when a foul called inside the box awarded a penalty kick to the Battling Bishops, which Corentin Solitaire netted to give his team a 1–0 advantage in the seventh minute of the match. The Monarchs were held to just two shots in the first half but defensively averted any more damage being done. Steven Floyd had a chance to even the score but was called offsides as he delivered what would have otherwise been a goal.
- It took the Monarchs less than four minutes to tie the game in the second half. A free kick taken by Matthew Manzano from beyond midfield sailed toward Angel Alarcon, who wound up with the ball near the right post, controlled it, and used his right foot to boot it past the oncoming keeper for a goal.
- In the 83rd minute, a throw-in taken by Kaleb Thomas soared into the box. Floyd floated in the air high enough to head the ball away from the net but toward Carson Stretz, who delivered a strike that was blocked by a North Carolina Wesleyan defender. With the keeper already on the ground in reaction to the first shot, Stretz managed to put his foot on the second ball, sending a shot off the keeper's outstretched gloves that bounced into the net to give Methodist a 2–1 edge. It was the sixth goal of the season for Stretz — the team's second-leading goal scorer.
- With a minute and a half remaining in regulation, the Battling Bishops drew a foul near the penalty arc area, just outside the box. Defending the free kick, Trey Gohr made a diving save to his right, but the Monarchs didn't clear the ball from the box and allowed an attacking Solitaire to slip by and score his second goal of the afternoon.
- The Battling Bishops possessed the ball more than the Monarchs in overtime, forcing a save by Gohr in the 91st minute before sealing the win in the 94th minute.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
- Five Monarchs made the All-Tournament squad, including Stretz and Alarcon (who each scored on Saturday), defenders Garrett Panos and Lucas Bender, and goalkeeper Gohr.
FINAL THOUGHTS
- Methodist tied or won six matches that the team at one point trailed in this season. That resiliency carried over into the playoffs, with the Monarchs collecting an overtime win in the first round before advancing on penalty kicks in the semifinals. Even on Saturday, Methodist showed fight and rallied to take the lead in the second half after being down 1–0.
