The Mount Ida College men's soccer team fought back from a three goal deficit in the second half to defeat Emmanuel College, 4-3, in overtime Saturday afternoon in Boston, Massachusetts. After the three-goal rally, Mount Ida junior Ryan Richardson (Winfield, KS/Winfield) ricocheted a shot off the far Saints' post with two seconds remaining in overtime to win it for the Mustangs. Mount Ida improves to 3-5 overall and 2-2 in league play while Emmanuel falls to 4-2-4 on the season and 1-2 in the GNAC.
The Saints came out of the blocks strong early in the game, firing off 13 shots to just three by the Mustangs in the first half. Senior captain Mathew Koenemann (Montpelier, VT) scored the games' first marker in the 12th minute. Koenemann was on the receiving end of two beautifully played balls by Ryan Brady (Springfield, VT) and Kevin Shirley (Madison, CT), as Emmanuel took an early 1-0 lead.
The Saints struck again in the 24th minute, when Allan Parrelli (Reading, MA) found a streaking James Carroll on a cross from the left side and Carroll buried the ball into the back of the net for his third goal of the season.
The Parrelli-Carroll combination was reversed just nine minutes later, when Parrelli scored on an assist by Carroll. Carroll's shot was deflected left center by Mount Ida's freshman keeper Mat Pils (Monroe, CT/Masuk), but Parrelli played the deflection nicely into the bottom right corner for his 6th goal of the year. The Saints would carry the three-goal lead into the break at halftime.
The contest was evenly played to start the second stanza, but the momentum switched to the visitors when junior Ryan Graham (Wichita, KS/Wichita East) scored at 69:48 off a feed from Michael Templeton (Charlestown, NH/Fall Mountain).
The Mustangs took advantage of a defensive breakdown by the Saints and scored again just 19 seconds later. Graham assisted freshman Gilberto Alvarenga (Marlborough, MA/Marlborough) at 70:07 to cut the Saints' lead to 3-2.
Mount Ida would hit the equalizer with just over three minutes remaining in regulation. Graham fed Templeton on a cross at 86:45 to knot the contest at three-all. The Saints continued to out-shoot the Mustangs in the second half (10-6), but all three of the visitors' shots on goal in the second frame found the back of the net and the two clubs entered extended play.
Emmanuel had three great scoring opportunities in the overtime that were stifled by the Mustang defense. With time expiring and the game destined for its second OT, Graham sent a long ball down the field that found the foot of Richardson on the left side. Richardson's shot hit off the inside of the far right post and dribbled into the back of the net past a diving Garrett Charette (West Springfield, MA). The game-winning goal came with just two seconds remaining in overtime.
Pils picked up the win for Mount Ida, making five stops for the Mustangs.
Mount Ida will play next Wednesday when the Mustangs host Norwich in league action with game time slated for 3:30 p.m.