HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - The 21st-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles stared down adversity on Saturday night in south Florida, facing a Florida Memorial team that had beaten the Blue and Gold in the last two meetings. But the Eagles didn't blink, despite trailing 2-0 at half and having to deal with less than ideal playing conditions, Embry-Riddle battled back and rallied for a 3-2 overtime victory against the Lions thanks to an
Alan Vezza header a little more than 90 seconds into the OT period. The Eagles move to 6-1 overall and stay atop The Sun Conference standings with a 4-0 ledger. The Lions drop to 0-7 overall and 0-3 in the league table.
The match, already pushed back from its original start time and moved to a different location, began 15 minutes later than the rescheduled time due to a co-ed recreational game on the field the Eagles and Lions were supposed to use.
The first half belonged to the Lions as the home team outshot the Eagles 9-4 and broke through with a 26th minute score by Lucas Vigliaccio off an assist from Ignacio Brown, giving FMU a 1-0 advantage.
A few minutes after the Lions' goal, the referee was forced to stop the game due to darkness as the lights on the field were not turned on. After an approximate 10 minute delay the match was resumed, but the Eagles fared no better as the Lions went up 2-0 on a Maximillian Schenfield penalty kick goal in the 38th minute.
As the half wound down, the physicality did not and in the 43rd minute a yellow card was issued to the Eagles, followed by a yellow card given to the Florida Memorial bench for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Lions nearly went up 3-0 into the break, but a nice save from
Nils Carlson kept the Eagles down just two scores after 45 minutes.
The Eagles got their marching orders from 20th-year Head Coach Dave Gregson, and his team responded, recording the first four shots of the second period, including the first ERAU goal of the evening when
Sigurbergur Elisson found the back of the net from the left side of the FMU penalty area, cutting the Eagle deficit in half, 2-1.
For most of the second half the Eagles proved to be the aggressors, peppering shot after shot at the FMU goal, but unable to find the equalizer. At least until the 65th minute when junior
Veit Couturier was taken down in the Lions' box, giving the Loerrach, Germany native a chance to bring his team level. Afer several minues of complaining from the FMU side, Couturier calmly buried his third PK of 2013 to knot things up at 2-2.
Both Couturier and Elisson had several chances to put the Eagles in front over the last 25 minutes of regulation, as well as
Ally MacDonald, whose shot at the 74:08 mark sailed wide, but the Lions also had several opportunities over the closing moments, but Carlson and the Eagle back line stood firm, sending the game to overtime at 2-2.
Embry-Riddle held possession for nearly the entire overtime period, and when a free kick was granted on the left side of the pitch, MacDonald served a perfect ball towards the right side of the goal and Vezza's thunderous header with most of the Lions' backs turned sent the Eagles into a great celebration at Dowdy Field.
Embry-Riddle's second half adjustments proved to be the difference as the Eagles improved their shot total from four to 18 after halftime.
Carlson ended the night with 10 saves, setting a career high, while the Eagles stretched their winning streak to five consecutive matches.
Embry-Riddle returns to Daytona Beach for a pair of contests next week at the ERAU Soccer Stadium, starting with a Wednesday date against Southeastern at 7 p.m. and concluding on Saturday against Ave Maria at 7 p.m.
