LONGVIEW, Texas - Fighting back from a 2-1 deficit to tie the game in the final 15 minutes of regulation, the LeTourneau University men's soccer team would be stunned by a goal just one minute into overtime in a 3-2 loss to Belhaven University at the Joyce Family Athletic Village in Longview, Texas on Thursday, October 19th.
The loss now leaves LETU with an overall record of 2-7-4 and 2-4-2 in the American Southwest Conference while the Blazers improve to 3-6-5 and 3-3-2 in the ASC.
Belhaven would try and take control of the game early on by forcing the YellowJackets into a defensive mode and holding possession throughout the middle and attacking third of the field. After two corner kicks in the opening five minutes of the game, the Blazers would force two saves by LeTourneau keeper
Miguel Cabrera before the YellowJackets would clear the ball back to the other end of the field.
LETU would then take advantage of a Belhaven mistake as the ball would be attempted to be played back to the goalie when the pass would be intercepted by
Varney Carter. Carter took his opportunity of a one on one with the Blazer goalie and forced Thomas Blake to make a move before putting the ball away and give the YellowJackets a 1-0 lead at the 17:35 mark.
Things would start to settle down in the first half as opportunities would start to become few and far in between when Belhaven looked to even the score line right before intermission. A shot by the Blazers in the 41st minute would sail left of the goal but keep the ball in the LETU half of the field when a foul on the YellowJackets gave BU a free kick. The free kick would be sent into the box where Alex Hale would head the ball home to the far post and knot the the score at one just four minutes before halftime.
The second half would get off to a much quicker start as Belhaven would take their first lead of the game on a ball sent across the box right in front of Cabrera before Ryan Thomas who was on the far post found the ball and put it away before LeTourneau could clear the ball.
Looking to tie the game at two, LETU would earn a corner kick in the 66th minute that would be taken by
Edgar Sanchez and sent all the way across the box where
Zachariah Malik would get the ball. Malik managed to send the ball back across the box with a shot that would go in for a goal, but would be waved off for an offisides call after a discussion between the linesman and the official.
With the goal waved off, LETU would still find themselves in a one goal deficit and over 20 minutes left in regulation which would be more than enough time to find an equalizer.
Guillermo Torres and
Eric Smith would put up the next three shots for the YellowJackets but come up empty as time would start to near the 15 minute mark left in the second half.
A Belhaven Foul in the 78th minute gave LETU a chance at their own free kick from just outside the box when
Porfirio Benitez kept the ball on the ground and past the Blazer wall to force a save by Blake. Blake's save would be put back into play in the box where
David Trost took the rebounded shot and fired a shot into the back of the net to tie the game at two and give the YellowJackets new life.
Cabrera would then come up with a game-saving save on the other end of the field just a few minutes later to keep the score tied as neither team would be able to break through for an all-important third goal in regulation.
Belhaven took the ball to start the overtime session and right away would play the ball into the attacking third of the field where LeTourneau would be put on the defense. The ball would manage to be played through to an open Blazer who would beat Cabrera for the golden goal and end the game just one minute into extra-time.
Each team would manage to fire off 14 shots in the game with Belhaven earning six corner kicks compared to five for LETU. Cabrera would be forced to make six saves in the game as the Blazers held a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Benitez led all players in the game with five shots on the night while Torres put up three shots. The goals by Trost and Carter would each be their first of the season.
Three seniors will be honored tomorrow night as part of senior night for LeTourneau when the YellowJackets host Louisiana College in a game at 7:30 p.m. at the Joyce Family Athletic Village. The game was moved up from Saturday to Friday due to forecasted severe weather that is expected to be in the Longview area on Saturday afternoon.
