Box Score LYNDHURST, N.J. – The Felician University men's soccer team erased a 2-0 second-half deficit, only to see visiting Georgian Court University secure the golden goal on a 97th-minute penalty kick, in its 3-2 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference overtime loss to the Lions on Saturday night at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex. Senior Raul Abellan (Girona Spain/IES Sobreques) and sophomore Kevin Chavez (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) scored for Felician (2-5, 1-2 CACC).
Georgian Court (5-0-2, 2-0-1) is the No. 4 team in the most recent NCAA Division II East Region coaches' ranking.
The Golden Falcons were outshot, 11-1, during the first half. But the game remained scoreless until inside of four minutes remaining in the period. A Felician free kick in its offensive third was cleared buy a Georgian Court defender. Lion midfielder Louis Silva (Union, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep), the CACC's second-leading scorer, ran onto the ball and beat multiple defenders while dribbling down the left flank. Silva finally deposited a low shot into the right corner of the net at 42:05.
GCU doubled its advantage during the 53rd minute on a strike by freshman Noah Hamouda (Forked River, N.J./Lacey Township). But play began to even off, and eventually the hosts capitalized. With 23:29 remaining in regulation time, a Lion defender committed a handball violation inside the 18-yard box on a corner kick by Felician senior Alexandros Avraamides (Nicosia, Cyprus/Paignton Academy [U.K.]). Abellan converted the ensuing penalty.
Neither team was dangerous offensively in much of the time that followed. However an opportunistic Golden Falcon side equalized as the game clock wound down. A deep Felician throw-in bounded off the head of a Lion defender and landed at the feet of Chavez, who got a shot past GCU goalkeeper Gianluca Cersosimo (Buenos Aires, Argentia) with 2:27 to play.
The Lions controlled the action during the overtime period, getting off two early shots and forcing the Golden Falcons into four fouls. The final infraction was the decider, as a GCU attacker was taken down just inside the right line of the box. Silva buried his kick into the upper right corner of the net – his 10th goal of the season -- setting off a celebration on the visitors' bench.
Georgian Court completed the night with advantages of 19-7 in shots and 7-3 in corners. Silva led all players with six attempts. The teams were whistled for a combined 45 fouls (26-19 Felician) and seven yellow caution cards (4-3 Felician).
Cersosimo earned the victory with two saves. Senior George Hernandez (Paterson, N.J./PCTI) stopped three shots for Felician.
The Golden Falcons travel to Caldwell, N.J., for a CACC tilt against Caldwell University on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
