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ERIE, PA – The Medaille Men's Soccer team travelled to Erie, PA to take on the Lions of Penn-State Behrend for the AMCC Championship. It was the twelfth time these foes have met in the title game in the last thirteen years for the right to represent the AMCC in the NCAA Tournament. You could cut the tension with a knife during this match, as it went into double overtime and seven rounds of penalty kicks. Everything that could happen in a soccer match happened, including a goal-keeper scoring the game winning goal in the seventh round of penalty kicks.

Medaille got off to a hot start in the first half and maintained control through the first (45) minutes. Possession and momentum continued for Medaille which led into the (36) minute, as sophomore Anthony Marafioti (Melbourne, Australia, Penleigh & Essendon) weaved his way through the Lion defense to set up the ninth goal on the year by freshman Given Holy Gbode (Gillingham, England, St Thomas Apostle). At the conclusion of the first half, Medaille out-shot Behrend (6-1).

The start of the second half began with a sudden change of momentum. Just two and a half minutes in, a penalty shot was awarded to the Lions Matt Dziadosz. Dziadosz did not fail to capitalize as he knotted the match up at one in the (47) minute. Behrend was in control for the majority of the second half, outshooting Medaille (11-0). Behrend had several great opportunities to jump ahead however, senior Callum Christie (Hamilton, ON, Dallastown) stood tall for the Mavericks making several miraculous saves to keep Medaille in the game. In the dying seconds of the second half, Behrend was in full attack mode as Aaron Harris drilled a ball of the cross bar followed up with a shot by Christian Eckberg that sailed wide as time expired.

This AMCC Championship match needed more than just regulation. The first overtime period was still under the control of the Lions for the majority of the opening ten minutes. Medaille began to register a couple good looks in the first overtime but failed to convert as the match headed into overtime number two.

The second overtime was a back and forth affair, including both sides having good opportunities to send themselves to the NCAA Tournament. Medaille kept themselves in Lion territory for the later stages of the second overtime but, still couldn't capitalize as the strong Lion defense, who only allowed three goals in conference play during the regular season kept the ball out of the net.

Penalty kicks were needed to decide who moves on and who goes home. Medaille had the opportunity to shoot first as they sent sophomore Mitchell Ali (Southend, England, Southend) to open up the shootout. Ali missed the net and gave Behrend the opportunity to jump ahead. Matt Dziadosz missed as well, representing the first shooter for the Lions. Freshman Kyle Ferguson (Hamilton, Scotland, Lanark Grammar) converted on his shot and gave Medaille the lead in the shootout. The second shooter for the Lions, Ryan Maurer made his kick as well, tying the shootout at one a piece. In the third round, sophomore James Lang (Cupar, Scotland, St. Leonards) netted his kick as the Lions' James Young failed to convert putting Medaille ahead (2-1). In the fourth round, the Mavericks sent up freshman Juan Montoya (Madrid, Spain, John Henry Newman Intl) who missed. Nick Schwarzel for Behrend made his kick, knotting it up at two. Marafioti made his kick along with Richard Blanchard for Behrend, in the fifth round.

Following the five rounds, we were still tied and we headed to sudden death in the shootout. The sixth shooter for Medaille was freshman Pablo Ballesteros (Madrid, Spain, John Henry Newman Intl). Ballesteros converted his kick along with the Lions' Nick Kisiel. The seventh round things got interesting. Medaille sent up their senior goal-keeper Christie. Christie beat Behrends' keeper, Chris Ralph. All Christie needed to do now was not allow the Lions to score and they advance and become AMCC Champions and he succeeded. Christie made a beautiful save on Andrew Mastovich to seal the deal on this tremendous AMCC final.

This is the sevnth AMCC Tournament Championship for the Medaille Men's Soccer team and the first since 2012. They now wait for Monday's NCAA Selection Show to determine who they will play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. You can watch the NCAA D-III Men's Soccer Selection Show live on Monday, November 6 at 1:30 pm by streaming live on NCAA.com or stopping by the Sullivan Center for a Men's Soccer Watch Party.