Box Score DALTON, Ga. – The Fire left it all on the pitch again on Thursday night. Southeastern University tied the match in the 82nd minute and played through two overtimes, before falling to Eastern Oregon, 4-3, in penalty kicks in the NAIA Men's Soccer National Tournament's First Round match.
The match was a back-and-forth, high intensity affair that was well-fitting of a National Tournament game. Eastern Oregon took the lead with just 2:25 remaining in the first half, when Marcos Bravo chipped the ball over Henrique Cavalini's head and into the goal.
The Fire tied the match 14:40 into the second half on a goal by Liam Fisch, assisted by Colton Eliasen. The contest stayed tied at one until the Mountaineers took the lead with just 8:30 left in the game on a goal by Jahrie Gray.
Like they have done all post-season, the Fire responded. Just 49 seconds later, Victor Calvacante and Eliasen set up Fisch as he blasted a shot past Eastern Oregon keeper Anthony Lemus to knot things up at two.
SEU keeper Henrique Cavalini not only stopped the final regulation shot (82:24), but one to start the first extra period and two in the final three minutes of the second overtime for four key saves. Nekoloff booted one shot wide (100:43) and added a second on goal (101:53) as the two Fire attempts in the second overtime.
After two overtimes and 110 minutes of action the score was tied 2-2, and SEU went to penalty kicks for the second match in a row. Eastern Oregon took the first turn in the five-round penalty kick session and converted the opening try. Kory Nekoloff knocked in his first goal to tie, 1-1. The Mountaineers went ahead with their second, before Victor Cavalcante tied it again, 2-2. Eastern Oregon and Nico Munari both struck successfully for a 3-3 tally. Both teams had their fourth-round attempts blocked, but the Mountaineers made their final, while the Fire's tying-attempt was unsuccessful, sending the Mountaineers to the Second Round.
SEU had an 18-17 overall shot edge with EOU having the shots-on-goal advantage, 10-7.
The Fire finish the season with a 10-3-5 record and the Sun Conference Tournament Championship.
