Emmaus Comes Up Just Short In Double-Overtime Thriller
Manhattan, KS - The Emmaus Eagles played their second match of the weekend against the Barclay Bears of Haviland, Kansas. The conference matchup took place at a neutral field in Manhattan, Kansas.
The Eagles, eager to bounce back after their rough loss to Manhattan Christian the day before, came out fired up. Settling the ball down quickly and finding feet, the Eagles had good success on the short and wide field. They were unable to find the net, however, and in the 21st minute Justin Callicchia (#9) made them pay on a breakaway. The rest of the half saw both teams battle back and forth, with Emmaus earning 6 corner kicks to Barclay's 5.
The Eagles, determined to equalize, played with high energy in the second half, nearly evening the score on another corner in the 61st minute before a Bear defender cleared the ball off the line. In the 67th minute, the Eagles tenacity finally paid off when Anthony Flores (#10) earned a free kick from 22 yards out. Elijah Barsness (#1) fired a perfect ball left of the wall and off the side of the post into the net.
With a goal a piece and all the momentum, the Eagles looked to close the game in regulation. Their efforts were nearly rewarded in the 88th minute when Anthony Flores (#10) found Sami Gitonga (#6) open on a cross at the back post. Sadly, Gitonga's one touch effort bounced just wide of the post.
The regulation whistle sounded and, for the first time this season, the Eagles were headed into overtime. Both teams battled hard in a sloppy first overtime with neither team able to gain an edge. In the second overtime and 104th minute of the game, the Barclay Bears finally found a seam in the Eagle defense as Callicchia fired a tough angled shot into the side of the net for a golden goal.
"It was a heart-breaker, no doubt, as the result really could have gone either way. At the same time, I am really proud of the way the guys rebounded after their match yesterday. We played our brand of soccer, created some dangerous chances, and were so close to winning the game in regulation. Who knows, maybe we will get another shot at Barclay at the conference tournament. I know the guys would relish the opportunity." (Coach Brown)
The Eagles will be back in action again on Tuesday, October 13th, for their final regular season conference match against the Soldiers of St. Louis Christian College.