BALTIMORE, Md. – Senior Chris Albiston's 97th minute golden goal lifted the William and Mary men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory at UMBC on Wednesday night. Freshman William Eskay and Albiston each tallied as the Green and Gold scored a pair of unanswered goals in the victory. With the win the Tribe, improves to 3-5, while UMBC drops to 3-3-2.
"We are thrilled to get a win," head coach Chris Norris said. " We've had a tough stretch and it's been testing mentally, but we hung in there tonight, and despite going a goal behind, managed to keep fighting. Most importantly, we made timely plays in both penalty areas that enabled us to win."
For the seventh time in eight matches, W&M fired the first shot of the match. Junior Jackson Eskay cleared some space and fired a shot on target. UMBC's goalkeeper Phil Breno was there for the save.
UMBC had its first chance of the match in the 16th minute match. As part of a counter attack, the Retrievers sent a cross into the box. Joseph Pratt came down with the cross and one-timed a shot that hit off of the post, and bounced out bounds to safety. In the 28th minute, Oumar Ballo put a header shot on frame that was turned away by senior Bennett Jones.
Sophomore Reilly Maw had the final chance of the first half for either side. In the 38th minute, he fired a shot on frame, but Breno made the sliding save.
Much like the first half, W&M opened the second half with a great chance. Senior Josh West sent a shot towards the goal, but it clanged off of the post. The ricochet, unfortunately, bounced off of the post right into the hands of Breno, ending the threat.
UMBC struck for the match's first goal in the 66th minute. After a W&M foul, the Retrievers were given a free kick. Mamadou Kansaye lined up the kick that just got passed the Tribe back line. Waiting there was Ballo, who headed into the lower right corner of the cage.
Nine minutes later, the Tribe found the equalizer. Off of a UMBC turnover, William Eskay took possession of the ball at the top of the box and volleyed a shot over the keeper's head. The freshman's first career goal knotted the match at 1-1.
Neither team could find the game-winner in regulation, so the match went to overtime. It was the first time this season that the Tribe played an overtime match.
Kay Banjo fired the first shot of the overtime frame, that was blocked into the hands of Jones. Jones sent West free. Rolling down the right sideline near midfield, West launched a cross to the left side of the goal box that found Albiston. The senior sent his shot across the face of the goal and into the right corner of the net. Albiston's fourth goal of the season pushed the Green and Gold to a 2-1 victory.
UMBC did hold a 14-7 advantage in shots in the match, but the Tribe held a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal. Jones made a pair of saves his third victory of the campaign. Albiston finished the match with a team-high two shots.
The College opens its Colonial Athletic Association slate on Saturday, Sept 27 when they welcome UNCW to Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Day. The match, which will be the Tribe's sustainability night match, begins at 7 p.m.
