Box Score
The Bruins players rushed the field in elation as Stephen Grider completed the comeback with an overtime goal to give the Bruins a 3-2 victory over Point University in Georgia on Tuesday night.
"Our guys persevered tonight" Bruins Coach Jesse McCormick said. "It was important for us to come together during a challenging start. We worked as a team tonight and not just individually."
The Bruins came into the game with a 1-7 record, after battling through one of the toughest schedules in program history. The team was coming off the heels of a tough loss to Bryan College on Saturday night. Point University entered the match with a 6-4 record. The Bruins were hungry to snap their three-game skid as they took the pitch.
In the opening minutes, both teams had several chances on frame. Jesse Rush provided the offensive boost for the Bruins early on as he had two shots on goal in the early stages. The Skyhawks had opportunities as well as they barraged the Bruins net with shots. Andrew Kester was again brilliant for the Bruins in the match as he made several saves. The Skyhawks would get on the board first in the 32nd minute as Marvin Deans slid a shot past Kester to put Point University up 1-0.
The Bruins came back on the offensive as they attempted to find the equalizer. But the Skyhawks defense stood strong as the half came to a close with the Bruins trailing 1-0.
As the second half began, the Bruins looked to turn their halftime adjustments into an opportunity to tie the game. They would find the equalizer just five minutes into the second half as Stephen Grider fed Marvell Lareche with a beautiful pass and Lareche finished the play to tie the game at 1-1. The Skyhawks came roaring back as they looked to keep the Bruins from stealing the game. Hugo Marques brought the home crowd back to its feet as he headed home a beautiful strike to put the Skyhawks back on top 2-1.
With just under twenty minutes to play, the Skyhawks continued to pressure the net while keeping Bruins attackers at bay. It looked as though the Bruins would be handed another tough loss, but Jesse Rush saved the day as he bent a beautiful shot into the back of the net with just 1:38 left to play. The Bruins bench went crazy as the team had fought back to send the game into overtime.
In the first overtime period, the Bruins continued to ride their momentum to generate good offensive looks. But the Skyhawks weren't about to let the Bruins steal the game as they moved into position to score. Andrew Kester made a great save to keep the game locked at 2-2. As the buzzer sounded, both teams knew only one period remained to decide the game.
The Bruins came out strong in the second overtime period as they were able to move the ball into the attacking third. Karl Walker bent a beautiful corner kick across the middle, but the Bruins failed to convert as the game remained tied. It looked as though a draw would be inevitable but late game heroics would again strike for the Bruins as Stephen Grider beat the Skyhawk defense and scored to give the Bruins a 3-2 overtime win.
Despite being outshot 28-9, the Bruins made their shots matter as they scored on three of their five attempts on frame. Stephen Grider led the way for the Bruins with one goal and one assist while Jesse Rush and Marvel Lareche each scored a goal. Andrew Kester made 4 saves on the night as the Bruins improve to 2-7 on the season. Next up, the Bruins will return home for an important region matchup with Toccoa Falls College on Saturday night.
