Falcons Drop Double-Overtime Heartbreaker, 4-3

MONTEVALLO, Ala. - The University of Montevallo men's soccer team (4-3-1, 0-2 PBC) lost a heartbreaker at home to UNC Pembroke (4-4-1, 1-1 PBC) in double-overtime, 4-3. The Falcons led 3-0 at halftime but a stingy UNC Pembroke team fought its way back into the game and tied it up with less than four minutes left in regulation to push it to overtime.

The game was a physical and sloppy affair after late afternoon showers soaked the field. There were 35 fouls called and nine cards handed out including three red cards.

UM took an early lead just 15 minutes into the contest as sophomore Phil Jackson (Lincolnshire, England/Queen Elizabeth's) blasted a free kick over the wall of defenders and into the net to take a 1-0 lead. Just 10 minutes later Jackson took a corner kick and sent it into the box. Senior Cruyff Dos Remedios (Mississauga, Ontario/Cardinal Newman) then passed it to junior Nathaniel Foster (Brampton, Ontario/Humberview Secondary School) who beat the keeper to make it a 2-0 advantage for the Falcons.

Jackson would strike again just 11 minutes later as the defense misplayed a clear which allowed Jackson to fire another shot past the keeper for his second of the night and second of his career.

Up 3-0 at halftime it looked like the Falcons would walk away with a victory. That feeling intensified when just four minutes into the second half a UNCP player was sent off for a late slide tackle. The Falcons held a one-man advantage and it looked like the Braves hopes were fading.

Just six minutes later the referee called a foul on a Montevallo player inside their own box allowing the Braves to take a penalty kick. Andy Pullin connected on the kick to cut the Falcons lead to 3-1. Less than a minute later Pullin struck again as he stole the ball away from the defense and beat the keeper.

Ten minutes following the Braves second goal a Falcons player picked up his second yellow card which turned into a red and evened up the two sides to 10 men each. The Braves took advantage of the evening of the playing field as Pullin scored his third goal of the night with 3:36 left on the clock.

The game would head into overtime and with two minutes left in the first overtime another Falcon player picked up a second yellow card to give the Braves a 10-9 advantage on the field. The Braves wasted little time in the second overtime as they scored just 1:35 into the second stanza.

The Falcons had two goals in the net that were called back due to fouls throughout the game.

UM outshot UNCP 18-12 and had a 10-7 advantage in shots on goal. Junior Robert Mueller (Kileen, Texas/Kileen) made three saves in the losing effort while Dean Moore picked up the win for the Braves after entering at halftime and making seven saves along the way.

The Falcons return to action Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 2:30 p.m. as they travel to the University of Alabama at Huntsville.