Bridgeport, Conn. - The NYIT Bears move onto
the 2012 East Coast Conference Men's Soccer Championship match with
a 2-1 double overtime win over third-seeded Bridgeport Friday
afternoon. The Bears improved to 9-6-3 on the season and will face
the top-seeded Pioneers of LIU Post in a rematch of the 2011 ECC
Championship final.
NYIT won the match on an own goal when a Bears' cross from the
right flank was headed by one of Bridgeport's defenders off a
teammate and into the net with 4:49 elapsed in the second overtime
period.
The Bears grabbed a 1-0 lead at 14:35 when junior Herve Valcourt
(Queens Village, N.Y.) fired home a long shot from outside the
18-yard box into the left corner of the Bridgeport goal. The score
would remain 1-0 into the second half when the Purple Knights found
an equalizer off the boot of Christoffer Olesen.
The contest would stay 1-1 until the second overtime period when
the Bears prevailed on the own goal.
Sophomore Liam Waddy (Northampton, England) made six saves in the
win. He improved to 8-5-1 overall. The loss went to Augustin Prados
(10-7-0).
NYIT now faces neighboring No. 2 LIU Post in the ECC Championship
on Sunday, Nov. 4. Kick off is scheduled for Noon at Dowling
College in Brookhaven, N.Y.
Earlier in the season, the Bears handed the Pioneers their first,
and only, loss of the season with a 2-1 victory. Last year, these
two teams met twice with the Bears going 1-0-1, including a 1-0
victory in the 2011 ECC Championship match.
Provided by the NYIT Sports Information Department.
