The Bruins soccer team battled back late in the game as Conley Burk scored a goal to tie the match at 1-1 with just minutes to go. Unfortunately, the Bruins couldn't complete the comeback as the team fell to Pfeiffer University 2-1 in double overtime.
"It's a tough scenario to talk about because it is another heartbreaking loss," Bruins Head Coach Hotchkin said. "We're struggling right now. The guys are trying but we just don't have a lot of experience in these situations. When the game changes on us we struggle to get things back in order. The goal gave us some life and the guys on the bench really came in and gave us some energy."
The Bruins entered Tuesday's match having lost two of their last three games. Their opponent was experiencing similar struggles as the Falcons came into the game in the midst of a six-match losing streak including being held scoreless in the past four games.
In the opening minutes, both teams traded possession in the midfield with neither able to sustain consistent control of the ball. The Bruins were able to generate some looks on frame early on as Sebastian Sulik and Victor Oladipo fed the ball into lanes for shots.
The best opportunity of the half came when Sulik threaded a pass to Jesse Rush right in front of the net. Rush had a golden opportunity but the shot was stopped by Falcon keeper David Chavarria to keep the Bruins off the board. Despite several chances for both teams, the score at halftime was tied 0-0.
In the second half, the Falcons came out with energy and it showed as they were able to possess well and move into the attacking third. The Bruins defenders were able to turn aside chances and Isaac Landry came up with several big saves for the team.
The Falcons were finally able to break the scoreless tie in the 62nd minute as Kyle Kamm took advantage of a rebound opportunity in front of the net as he scored to give Pfeiffer a 1-0 lead.
With time running out, the Bruins picked up the tempo as they looked to tie the game back up. Each attempt was turned aside as it looked like the Bruins would once again fall in defeat.
In the 86th minute, Jesse Rush chased a ball down near the corner and turned and sent a centering pass back into the box. Conley Burk headed the pass into the lower corner of the net to tie the match at 1-1. The Bruins grabbed momentum as the regulation buzzer sounded sending the game into overtime tied 1-1.
The first overtime period yielded several chances for both teams, but after ten minutes the score remained tied. In the second overtime, the Bruins and Falcons put it all on the line with both looking for the game-winner. Unfortunately, the Bruins found themselves on the receiving end of a golden goal as Jason Juarez Leyva scored on a loose ball in the box to give the Falcons a 2-1 win.
"The message is still the same in that we are going to focus on the process," Coach Hotchkin said. "I'm seeing growth and improvement in us being able to do things that we couldn't do in the spring and couldn't even do at the beginning of the season. If you look at the scoreboard and focus on the results then it's easy to lose heart. I see what's happening and it's a long road but we are going to keep going down that road."
With the loss, the Bruins fall to 1-7 on the season. Next up, the team will be on the road on Saturday as they face rival Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida.
