Montclair, NJ – Survive and advance. It's kind of the NCAA Tournament motto and it was never more evident for Montclair State in the first round of the Division III Men's Soccer Championship at MSU Soccer Park on Saturday evening.
The Red Hawks (17-1-3) scored late in the second half and went on to win a shootout as MSU got past Colby College. The contest ended in a 1-1 draw with Montclair advancing in penalty kicks, 4-3.
Montclair State now faces New York University in the second round on Sunday, November 11 at 7:00 pm. The winner moves on to next week's Sectional Tournament against the winner of Connecticut College and Ramapo. NYU (12-4-2) also advanced on penalty kicks outlasting Haverford College 5-4 in their shootout.
For one of the few times this season, the Red Hawks found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard after Lucas Pereira put Colby on top at the 15:15 mark. Taking the ball at the top of the box, Pereira fired a ground shot inside the left post for his third of the season.
Trailing 1-0 Montclair pressed hard getting off 17 shots however Mules keeper Dan Carlon made six saves and got some help along the way as MSU also clanged two off the crossbar. The Red Hawks would outshoot Colby 10-6 in the second half but couldn't come up with a tying goal until 5:47 left in the game.
Freshman
ANTHONY PELAEZ set a ball from the right side down within 10 yards on the left to
CHAZ BURNETT. Burnett took one touch before flipping a shot across and inside the right post for his 14
th goal of the season and the 1-1 tie.
In the first overtime, Colby nearly got the game-winner as Pereira drove in along the right side and tucked a shot inside the near post with 38 seconds left. But the Mules were whistled for offside and on to a second OT the contest went.
After being denied on the game-winner in the first extra period, Colby almost got it again 2:24 into the new period as a ball was served from the left across the box and down to the post. Jack Fletcher had a virtual open net and fired a shot that was blocked away by Montclair's
IAN JOHNSON keeping the Red Hawks alive.
MIKE SAALFRANK made one save three minutes later.
Colby won the coin toss in the shootout and elected to kick second. The teams traded the first three rounds with Simek burying his chance in the fourth for a 4-3 lead. The Mules missed their chance as the kick sailed over the net. MSU would get a chance to end it however Matt Johnson saved the attempt keeping Colby alive. Needing to convert its chance Asa Berlozheimer blasted a shot that Saalfrank made a diving stop on sending Montclair to the next round.
Carlson had eight saves for Colby while Saalfrank posted six. Montclair finished with a 29-17 advantage in shots.
