FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern forced extra time with a late goal in the 89
th minute of regulation, but couldn't quite unseat second-ranked Lynn as the Fighting Knights edged the Sharks 3-2 in double overtime of a thrilling matchup Saturday night at the NSU Soccer Complex.
Stefan Faistenauer sent the Nova Southeastern crowd into a frenzy following his first career score. Lynn, though, got the last laugh following Alun Webb's golden goal in the 106
th minute to help the Knights improve to 7-1-1, 2-1-1 in the Sunshine State Conference.
"That was a tough one," said Sharks' head coach
Matt Watts. "We've come a long way, the boys just have to understand that these games can't slip away from us. We can't accept one-goal losses. We just have to pick our heads up and keep moving forward."
Mired in a 441-plus minute scoreless drought, Nova Southeastern finally put an end to its rough stretch in the 23
rd minute when
Bestun Mohammed gave the Sharks a 1-0 cushion after beating Lynn keeper Alexander Roth on a beautiful strike from the top of the 18-yard box.
The lead didn't last long, however, as substitute Matheus Ayrolla evened up the match in the 32
nd minute with a well-placed header on a feed from Webb.
The game remained tied into the 54th minute until the SSC's leading goal scorer Jack Watson added his ninth goal in just nine matches this season. Awarded a set piece following a Nova Southeastern foul, Adam Hutchinson located Watson on the far post for a header of his own to put Lynn on top 2-1.
Watts' club didn't go down quietly, though. Providing a spark off the bench,
Giovani Raymond played a great ball to Faistenauer in the box, who then took two touches and fired a perfect low shot into the corner of the net for the equalizer.
Unfortunately, that same offensive energy didn't carry over into extra time as the Sharks were outshot by a 5-1 margin in overtime before Webb delivered the knock-out blow.
Mohammed's early goal marked the first of the season for the graduate student, and first overall in a Sharks uniform.
NSU returns to the pitch a week from tonight when it plays host to SSC provisional member Palm Beach Atlantic. For complete coverage of the action, visit
NSUSharks.com and click on the provided links on the
schedule page
