HUNTINGDON, Pa.-The Juniata men's soccer team again grabbed a late winner, this time in OT, as the Eagles won 1-0 over visiting Wilson College in front of another raucous crowd at Gibbel Stadium.
Michael Realbuto (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton) scored his first career goal off a double assist by Johnny King (York Springs, Pa./Bermudian Springs) and Jacob Grove (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin HS).
The first half was tightly contested, but held mostly in the midfield as neither team got a ton of shots off as Wilson held a 4-2 advantage in shots heading into the half. Andrew Yeich (Middletown, Pa./Middletown Area) did have to make two saves in the half to keep the score tied.
The second half saw the intensity pick up and each team increased their attacking efforts as both teams increased their shot totals. In the 53rd minute, Mark Wolf (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) fired a shot from the left side that just went wide of the far post. 13 minutes later, Jarrod Gibson (Abington, Pa./Abington) and Matt Matylewicz (York, Pa./Central York) both forced the Phoenix keeper into making two saves two minutes apart. Page rocked a shot towards goal in the 73rdminute, but it flew over the crossbar. A few minutes later Bass Diakhoumpa (Dakar, Senegal/Mercersburg Academy) ripped a half volley towards net, but the Wilson keeper managed to stop it.
Wilson had several chances down the stretch, but three of them went wide and Yeich corralled the other to force overtime.
Logan Storti (Elverson, Pa./Owen J.Roberts) played in a corner that Henry Doherty (Brunswick, Maine/Brunswick) came flying in at the back post, leapt and smashed the ball towards goal, but the keeper managed to snagged it off the bounce. Each team had one more corner the rest of the half, but they could not score. In the final 30 seconds, Wolf bent in a ball from near midfield on the left side that Grove got on the end off but again the Wilson keeper managed to stop it. The first OT was not enough, so the teams switched sides again to get ready for the second OT.
Two minutes into the second half, Yeich boomed a punt that wound up at the feet of King. He dribbled down the right side and played the ball ahead to Grove who was about 12 yards out, and he crossed the ball to an on-rushing Realbuto who fired the ball through the keeper's legs to end the game.
The Eagles will host St. Vincent, Tuesday at 7:00.
