BANGOR, Maine – The Husson University men's soccer team came up one game short of completing its goal of repeating as North Atlantic Conference Champions as it dropped a heartbreaker to SUNY Poly 2-1 in double-overtime at Boucher Field on Saturday afternoon in the NAC Title game.
Husson (13-5-3) found the scoring column first in the 22nd minute as graduate student Ben Shumway played a perfect long-ball over the top of the Poly (13-5-1) defense and left junior Florian Gasser one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Gasser didn't waste the opportunity as he found the back of the net for his 10th goal of the season.
The Wildcats found the equalizer less than 10 minutes later as Jhonny Theze scored from the penalty spot after a foul was called on the Eagles inside the 18-yard box.
Despite quality chances from both teams during the remainder of the first half and the entirety of the second half, the game remained tied at one and for the second-straight year Husson would play extra-time in the NAC Championship game.
The first half of extra-time saw a flurry of opportunities for Poly as they recorded five shots during the 10-minute period, while limiting the Eagles to just one shot.
The perseverance of the Wildcats paid dividends in the 103rd minute as Matthew McCord cut over the face of the Husson defense during teammate Thomas Nimineh's corner and headed the ball past junior goalkeeper Alex Rechsteiner to secure the eventual game-winner for Poly.
While the Eagles battled until the final whistle, it was not enough as the Wildcats secured the North Atlantic Conference Championship, in addition to the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament.
Husson outshot Poly 18-14 on the afternoon, but the Wildcats put more pressure on the goalie as they tallied nine shots on goal, compared to just four for the Eagles.
Rechsteiner did his best to keep Husson alive for the full 110 minutes, as he made seven saves on the nine shots that came his way.
With the loss for the men's soccer team, the 2023 season has come to an end.
