Four of the first six games the Quinnipiac men’s soccer team played this season wound up in double overtime. All four double-OT games ended in a tie, including Wednesday’s affair against the Stony Brook Seawolves.
After a goal from each team in the first half, the concluding 66 minutes and nine seconds of the game showed scoreless action, leaving the game in a 1-1 tie.
Quinnipiac’s junior forward Dwayne Mars scored his team’s only goal 19:51 into the game. Freshman forward Philip Suprise controlled the ball undefended near the corner kick arc, and fired a hard, head-high cross to Mars, who streaked down the center of the field and headed the ball in the top shelf above goalkeeper Anthony Rogic’s head.
“I just tried to time my run in between the defenders, and tried to beat them to the near-post,” Mars said. “I saw he (Suprise) was set up for the cross, so I just made sure I got in position so I could put it away.”
The goal was Mars’ second of the season, making him the only Bobcat with more than one goal. Five other Bobcats have scored one goal this season.
The tie kept Quinnipiac out of the loss column, still, through six games at 2-0-4. Mars said the team was playing without “four or five guys,” making it hard to stay fresh.
“At least we didn’t lose, we’re still undefeated,” Mars said. “There were not many rotations and subs, so the players on the field just had to keep working hard. We deserve to be recognized by our hard work, and hopefully it will just make us stronger in the future.”
Stony Brook’s Kyle Schlesinger tied the score up with 1:09 remaining in the first half. He dribbled past junior defenseman Tolle Staffanson’s slide tackle from the right corner of the 18-yard box and cracked a shot into the upper-left corner of the net.
The Seawolves stayed on the attack for the majority of the second half, outshooting the Bobcats 15-3.
“The second half we came out pretty flat,” Mars said. “We picked up a little as players got their legs back. Unfortunately we couldn’t get the winning goal.”
Stony Brook missed an excellent opportunity midway through the second half, when Antonio Crespi’s wide-open shot off a rebound hit the crossbar. Senior goalkeeper Freddy Hall was out of position after saving Stony Brook’s first attempt.
Quinnipiac didn’t have any great chances at breaking the tie in either of the overtime periods, but Stony Brook had a direct kick from just outside the box in the first overtime and a corner kick in the second overtime.
The Bobcats will continue their six-game homestand against the Vermont Catamounts Saturday at 1 p.m.
