Tartans Fall in Double OT 4-3

Nov. 12 - (UNIVERSITY HTS., Ohio) – In NCAA first round action, Carnegie Mellon’s men’s soccer team lost a hard fought match to Fredonia State 4-3 in the second overtime period. The Tartans end the season with a 13-3-1 record, while the Blue Devils move on to meet John Carroll in the second round, as the Blue Streaks defeated the Presidents of Washington & Jefferson 3-1.

A penalty kick by Jonathan Browne (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) gave Carnegie Mellon’s men’s soccer team a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute of play. The Tartans were awarded the penalty kick when junior forward Andrew Park (Boise, Idaho) sent a cross through the box where Browne was fouled.

Carnegie Mellon freshman goalkeeper Matthew Bazin (Mountain Lakes, N.J/Delbarton) made two saves in a three second span with five minutes to play in the first half. Bazin’s first save came on a penalty kick awarded to Fredonia State, taken by Vincenzo Alfieri. On the rebound, Fredonia State’s Jeff Moretti one-timed a shot which Bazin dove to save, as senior defender Matt Wilkinson (Basking Ridge, N.J./Pingry) cleared the rebound.

With 1:21 to go in the first half, the Blue Devils tied the score with a goal by Michael Battisti. Nathan Gross sent a ball through the middle which Battisti collected and shot to the right post for the score.

Fredonia State took a 2-1 lead 5:50 into the second half with an unassisted goal by Jason Januskiewiczy. Januskiewiczy collected the ball 20 yards out and blasted a left footed shot to the left post past Bazin.

Moretti gave the Blue Devils a two-goal lead with 25:19 to play with a header assisted by Januskiewiczy. A corner kick by Alfieri to the far post was headed back by Januskiewiczy to Morettil, who redirected the pass to goal.

With 12:16 to go, Browne scored his second goal of the game off a rebound from his own missed penalty kick to cut the deficit to one goal.

A minute later, Matt Mahaffey had a break away down the left line, but Bazin cut the angle and smothered the shot for the save. Bazin made another save with 9:25 to play on a free kick to the upper right post by Moretti.

At 87:06 the Tartans earned a throw-in deep in Blue Devil territory. Freshman midfielder Daniel Brackley (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) took the throw and placed it right to junior midfielder William Schlough's (Stratham, N.H./Exeter) head who deposited the backward header to the far netting for the game-tying goal.

After a scoreless first overtime, Fredonia State scored the game-winner with 2:38 remaining in the second overtime. Brandon Derkacz collected a loose ball inside the six-yard box off the head of Matt Smith.

Bazin finished the game with eight saves, as Blue Devil keeper Matt Borchard earned the win while making three saves.