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Sloan Puts Gators Back in NCAC Tournament
October 28, 2006
MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny College men’s soccer team needed a win and a little help from outside sources to stay alive in the hunt for the final spot in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament and its wishes were granted as junior defender Eric Sloan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) booted home the game-winning goal in the second overtime to lift the Gators to a 2-1 victory over Wittenberg University.
Allegheny (11-4-2, 5-4-0 NCAC) clinched a spot in the conference tournament with the win combined with The College of Wooster’s loss to second-place Denison University. The Gators will likely play at No. 1 seed Ohio Wesleyan University (13-0-2, 7-0-1 NCAC) on Wednesday, November 1, barring an upset of the Battling Bishops by Hiram College on Saturday afternoon.
Amidst rain, snow, and swirling winds, the Gators and Tigers went back-and-forth deadlocked at one goal apiece for over 100 minutes. Finally, in the second overtime period, a streaking Sloan came out of nowhere to swipe the ball away from a Wittenberg defender around the 20-yardline. The Allegheny junior raced a couple yards before slicing a shot into the bottom right corner past the diving Tiger keeper for the game-winner at 103:58.
It didn’t take very long for the scoreboard to light up at the beginning of the game, as the two sides each tallied a goal within 3:26. Wittenberg lit the lamp first as Joe Zeller headed in a chip pass form Michael Condon at 1:27. The Gators answered right back just two minutes later as senior Chris Fedele (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville) kicked the ball top-shelf into the right corner following a corner kick by fellow classmate Ryan Kelly (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-LaSalle).
That was all the scoring to be had over the next 100 minutes as the contest turned into a war of attrition amongst the foul weather. The hosts weren’t without their share of prime offensive opportunities, particularly in the second half, but Tiger goalie Ben McAnnis-Entenman made several spectacular saves, including a series of three consecutive stops in the 67th minute.
McAnnis-Entenman finished with nine saves, while Allegheny finished with two saves, one by keeper Ryan Larkin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and the second by senior Mark Dobish (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington Area) on a ball sent to the far post following a corner kick in the second half.
The Gators held a sizeable shot advantage in the game, firing away 25 attempts at the Tiger goal compared to just 12 for the visitors.