KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Oct. 29, 2023) – The #4-seed USMMA men's soccer team saw its 2023 season come to an end on a very rainy Sunday afternoon in a Skyline Championship First Round matchup at home against #5-seed Mount St. Vincent, as the Mariners lost a penalty kick shootout, 8-7, in eight rounds, after the 110 minutes of game time resulted in a 1-1 draw. With the tie, Merchant Marine's record closes out at 6-4-9, while the Dolphins move to 8-4-4 and advance to the Skyline Semifinals at top-seed Manhattanville on Thursday night.
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Both goals in the contest came in the first half of action, with freshman
Patrick Novotny (Fort Worth, Texas) finding the back of the net on a shot that hit off the near post, but found its way over the goal line in just the 12th minute.
Then with just under seven minutes left in the first half, CMSV responded when freshman Jenluis Henriquez fired a shot from about 25 yards out that deflected off of a diving Mariner defender. The deflection threw off senior keeper
Ashton Carey (Pasadena, Md.) and he tried to recover and dive to his left from his knees, but the ball trickled past and snuck into the net along the far-side to even the score up at 1-1 in the 39th minute.
Carey finished the half with three saves, while his counterpart for the Dolphins, senior Joel Luna made one stop.
The Mariners practically dominated play in the second half, as their pressure resulted in a total of seven corner kicks and a good number of deep throw-ins. However, they were unable to find the go-ahead goal. A header in the middle of the box by sophomore
Billy Castoro (Garden City, N.Y.) off of a corner kick in the 58th minute was the best attempt for the Mariners, but it was turned aside on a diving stop by Luna.
The best chance for the Dolphins in the second half came in the 71st minute when sophomore Oscar Billman fired a surprise shot from about 40 yards out that just missed the upper right corner of the net.
Carey and Luna both made two saves in the second stanza.
Despite USMMA outshooting Mount St. Vincent, 23-11, over the course of regulation, the two teams would have to play two 10-minute overtime periods to try and decide a winner.
CMSV senior Ian Lamas had the first shot attempt of the first overtime in the 96th minute, but it sailed wide. In the 102nd minute,
Jack Ouellette (Alexandria, Va.) had a chance for the Mariners that was stopped by Luna.
The second overtime saw added pressure and three more corner kicks by the Mariners, but despite recording four shots (one on goal) to none for the Dolphins, the game would officially end in a 1-1 tie. Both Carey and Luna finished the afternoon with five saves apiece.
The penalty kick shootout was not kind on the keepers, as the first 15 shooters that stepped up to the PK marker were successful. Included in those 15 shooters were both Carey and Luna, who were both able to beat the other keeper.
With the Mariners shooting second in the eighth round, needing a goal to extend action, it was a diving save by Luna around head-height to his left that sealed the shootout victory for the visitors.
The Dolphins will now travel up to Purchase, N.Y., on Thursday night, Nov. 2, to take on the #1 seed Manhattanville Valiants in the Skyline Championship Semifinals.
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