Manchester, N.H. – With under two minutes to go in regulation and the LIU Post men's soccer team trailing No. 16 Southern New Hampshire, 2-0, the Pioneers scored twice to force overtime in the second round of the 2014 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championships.
Not only did the Pioneers (15-4-2) force overtime, but they would go on to defeat No. 16 SNHU (17-1-2), 6-5, in penalty kicks to advance to the East Region Final.
After SNHU scored twice in the first half, LIU Post dug deep and mounted a comeback for the ages. In the 89th minute, senior forward Eivind Austboe (Stavanger, Norway) was able to clean up a scramble in front of the net to give the Pioneers hope.
With less than 30 seconds remaining before the final horn, junior Per Forgaard (Stavanger, Norway) ripped a shot that hit the cross bar, but freshman and East Coast Conference Rookie of the Year Jason Lampkin (Hawardon, North Wales, U.K.) connected and found the back of the net to force overtime.
Both teams had their chances in the two 10-minute overtime halves, but neither team was able to break through, sending the game into penalty kicks.
The Pioneers shot first, with Austboe giving LIU Post a 1-0 lead. Junior keeper Jesper Malmstrom (Linkopping, Sweden) then stopped Jonathan Lupinelli's attempt. Over the next two rounds, SNHU took a 2-1 lead, as Penmen keeper Dom DiMaggio stopped back-to-back attempts.
After both teams converted in the fourth round, junior midfielder Alex Billington (Preston, England) tied the shootout 3-3. On the ensuing kick, SNHU had a chance to win it, but Malmstrom came up with the save to keep the shootout going.
The Pioneers led off each of the next three rounds with successful chances, and clinched the victory when Callum Williams banged one off the crossbar in the eighth round.
Head Coach Andreas Lindberg and the Pioneers now await the winner of the Merrimack/Southern Conn. State match, which is shceduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sunday (Nov. 16).
Provided by the LIU Post Sports Information Department.
