Knights Best SeaWolves In Overtime Thriller

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine— The Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) men's soccer team suffered a 2-1 overtime Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) loss to the Knights of Vermont Technical College (VTC) at Wainwright Recreation Complex on Sunday, Sept. 10.

Entering the contest, both teams came in netting one goal on the season—this game alike, goals were of a premium. The SeaWolves tallied 14 shots in the first half, the Knights six, but neither team could capitalize in the first 45 minutes.

VTC jumped on the scoreboard first with a ball that ran across the six-yard box that eventually found the feet of Matthew Brien at the 54-minute mark. The SeaWolves found the equalizer in the 81^st minute when first-year Hanssen Casey (Eliot, Maine) converted a penalty kick to record his first collegiate goal. SMCC looked to have the momentum in the closing minutes of regulation, but could not combine in the attacking third to go ahead.

The game remained at a lock in the first 10-minute overtime period until VTC's Phillip Hepburn scored the golden goal on a ball from Xavier Robitaille, that was threaded behind the defense, to come away with the 2-1 victory.

SMCC goalkeeper and co-captain Patrick Duddy (Sedgewick, Maine) recorded nine saves; his counterpart Alaga Saric with 12.

View the photo gallery of the game HERE.

SMCC stands 0-1 in YSCC play, 0-3 overall. VTC improves to 1-0 in conference standings, 2-2 overall.

The action continues when the SeaWolves travel to Paul Smith's College on Saturday, Sept. 16 to take on the winless Bobcats in another conference tilt. These teams last got together in 2011 when SMCC was victorious 2-1 in penalty kicks in YSCC playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Paul Smith's, N.Y.

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