Overtime Goal Sends Drew To ECAC Championship Match

NEWARK, N.J. - Drew men’s soccer advanced to the ECAC Metro Tournament Championship match by winning a thrilling game against Richard Stockton, 3-2, at Rutgers-Newark in overtime. The Rangers trailed 1-0 before a pair of Greg Zizik goals gave Drew the 2-1 lead. The Ospreys tied it up with just minutes to go. Anthony Pisani scored the game’s Golden Goal in the eighth minute of overtime. The Rangers will face the Farmingdale Rams in the finals tomorrow at 7 pm.

After a scoreless first half of play, Rafael Duarte put the Ospreys ahead in the 57th minute of play with a blast into the upper right corner of the goal. Stockton deserved the goal and could have had more had David Brigandi not been so effective in goal for the Rangers. The senior, a Second Team All-Landmark Conference selection this season, made six saves before the 65th minute when the game changed. A red card issued to a Stockton player gave Drew the impetus to attack with more fervor.

Six minutes after gaining the upper hand, Drew equalized through Matthew Greenberg and Greg Zizik. Greenberg crossed the ball from the right side to Zizik in the middle of the box; the senior put it away into the left side to tie it up 71 minutes played.

It didn’t take long for Drew to grab a second and take the lead. This time it was senior Jonah Silk who crossed it into the box, but it was Zizik again with the finish. The Rangers first four time First Team All-Conference selection since the immortal Marvin Lopez C’98, Zizik headed in his fifth goal in the last six games.

With the man advantage, a lead and one of the best defenses in the NCAA, the Rangers looked sure to close out the victory in regulation, but Duarte had a different plan. The junior headed in Sean Nelson’s corner kick in the 85th minute to send the game into overtime.

For the seventh time this season, Drew went into extra periods. The added time had not been kind to the Rangers previously as Drew was just 0-2-5 in OT. Tonight playing in what could have been his final game, Tony Pisani won the game and put the Rangers at the brink of a trophy with a terrific game winner. Again Greenberg was the provider as he picked out Pisani 25-yards out with a cross from the left. Pisani crunched a shot into the right side of goal from distance to end the game at 3-2. It was Pisani’s second game winner of the season and fifth of his career. The win also gave Lenny Armuth his 14th season of ten wins or more; only once has he won fewer than ten games during his tenure at Drew.

Story provided by Drew Sports Information