Cason Dowdy’s 1st half goal made it a 2-1 game earlier today as the Lions pushed conference leading-NC Wesleyan to overtime but saw the Battling Bishops come away with the golden goal in the 2nd OT.
Rocky Mount, NC – The Piedmont College men’s soccer team scored a goal in the final minutes to force overtime at North Carolina Wesleyan College only to see the Battling Bishops come away with the golden goal in the second OT. The 3-2 win for the hosting Bishops is the second consecutive time in this series that the home team has come out on top of a 3-2 overtime decision as Piedmont did the same a year ago winning on Vincent Thomas’ golden goal for the one-goal victory.
In the opening minutes, Piedmont’s front three pushed on what started as a shaky back line for the Battling Bishops as a miscue in possession amongst the backs for the home team led to a chance for Matthew Metzger to chip the keeper standing about seven yards off his line. However, a bit too much weight on the strike and an unlucky sail took the ball over the crossbar keeping it scoreless.
It would take more than 20 minutes for the hosting Bishops to break the pressure of the Piedmont back line doing so on a cross from the right side that was tapped away by Samba Cande for a 1-nil lead in favor of Wesleyan. Just over two minutes later, the Bishops would double their lead turning a Piedmont set piece into a jailbreak 4-on-1 breakaway from midfield that saw Daniel Kamdem touch the ball past oncoming keeper Kenneth Hearn for a finish and a 2-0 advantage.
However, Piedmont’s Cason Dowdy made his case for a top five goal of the season when his side volley from just outside the box in the 36th minute found the back of the home team’s net to cut the deficit in half for PC at 2-1. With just under three minutes before half, the Lions looked to have equalized when Vincent Thomas had a free header on the back post, but his rocket of an effort found the waiting arms of Jesper Olsson as the NC Wesleyan keeper kept the game at a 2-1 score through 45 complete.
NC Wesleyan controlled much of the second half doubling up the Lions in the shot count 12-6, but it was Piedmont who finally put one chance away as Vincent Thomas scored with just under eight minutes remaining in regulation to force overtime between the two programs for the second straight year.
Tied 2-2 through 90 minutes complete, Piedmont was able to hold off the home team attack in the first OT period, but in the second NC Wesleyan struck quickly taking the kickoff and getting in behind the back four of the Green and Gold. It was the Bishops’ Charles Chapin who finished the chance for NC Wesleyan handing Piedmont a one-goal defeat in league play.
The Lions drop to an even 6-6 on the season sitting at .500 for the first time since September 9th when a 4-0 win over Toccoa Falls put them at 2-2. NC Wesleyan meanwhile improves their positioning at the top of the league with now a 5-1 record in conference play for 15 points, five clear of the next team on the table.
Piedmont will take a step out of conference play for its next contest traveling tomorrow to play Chowan University, a NCAA Division II member located in North Carolina. The Saturday afternoon contest on October 11 is set to kickoff at high noon with live coverage provided by the Chowan Sports Information Department.
