HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – A pair of goals by senior
Viktor Gudnason lifted the 11th-ranked Embry-Riddle men's soccer team to a 2-1, overtime victory over SCAD Savannah, Wednesday at the SCAD Athletics Complex. With the win, the Eagles wrapped up the program's eighth regular season Sun Conference title and improved their records to 11-1 overall and 9-0 in league play.
"To win this league with a game to spare is just outstanding," ERAU Head Coach Dave Gregson said following the match. "The players were again magnificent tonight and deserved to wrap up the regular season title in such style. The character and belief in the squad at the moment is fun to see and it should be a good platform to build with as we approach the knock out stages of postseason play."
The Eagles scored their first goal just 1:13 into the match.
Veit Couturier was fouled just inside the Eagles' defensive half.
Viktor Hafsteinsson took the free kick and launched the ball across the field toward his countryman Gudnason and the senior headed home his seventh goal of the year to give the Eagles an early lead.
Over the next few minutes, the Bees had the better of the possession and were able to parlay some of that time on the ball into three shots and three corner kicks. The Eagles immediately looked to score when they retained possession, but chances by Gundason,
Sigurbergur Elisson and
Nicklas Petersson squibbed just wide of the goal to keep the score at 1-0.
With 18 minutes left in the half, SCAD was able to capitalize on one of their opportunities. Naim El-Harrati caught the Eagle defense on its heels and played a ball through to Alex Jamroz who raced to the goal and tapped in the equalizer.
Both sides continued to create chances, but neither was able to score resulting in a 1-1 deadlock at the half.
The stalemate continued through the second half, though the frame did not lack for scoring chances. SCAD forced ERAU netminder
Nils Carlson to make two saves in the period. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles managed two shots on frame of their own and were denied other chances to put the ball in the net by a controversial no-call inside the penalty area, as well a dubious offside call in the late stages of the contest.
The fact that neither team could add to its tally in regulation resulted in "Golden Goal" overtime. SCAD pushed into the Eagles defensive half to start extra time, but the Blue and Gold quickly collected the ball and got it out wide to
Nicklas Petersson. Petersson took a couple of touches before squaring a pass to
Ally MacDonald who was just outside the 18-yard box. McDonald spun quickly and played a quick through ball to Gudsaon who finished his fifth shot of the night, 34 seconds into overtime, to give the Eagles the win.
ERAU will conclude regular season conference play on Saturday when the team travels to Thomasville, Ga. Match time is slated for 2 p.m.
