Newtown, Pa. - The Bucks men's soccer team have defended their ESAC championship in the conference first championship game by defeating Manor College in overtime by a score of 5-4 on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at the Centurion Soccer Field.
Bucks and Manor soccer have a long history going back over a decade, from in the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference, then Eastern Pennsylvania Athletic Conference in the Region XIX of the NJCAA and now in the Eastern States Athletic Conference of the USCAA. Both teams having split the season series, winning on their home fields, this game was bound to be intense.
Manor came out with a game plan and got on the scoreboard in only 7 minutes from the start. At the 23rd minute of the game scored again and it looked as though they were going to knock off the defending champions, when in the 32nd minute, Bucks go a spark of life from Mohammed Abdul (Philadelphia, PA/Swanson Arts & Tech) who drilled a 23 yard half volley passed the outstretch Blue Jays goalkeeper. In almost a replay, Abdul hit another rocket of a shot in 37 minute to tie the contest. Manor not to be denied quickly rallied to give the visitors the 3-2 halftime lead. Only took 8 minutes into the second half for the Centurions to tie the game when a great ball control effort lead to Ronaldo Montero (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) tie the game with a well placed finish. With 10 minutes remaining, Freshman, Nicholas Sieger (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) found the Bucks leading scorer, sophomore, Jaden Haig (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) for what was thought to be the game winnner. The Blue Jays refuse to go out without a fight as they equalized in the 84th minute of the game and regulation ended in a 4-4 draw. The game when into the second overtime when Haig chipped the ball fellow forward, freshman, Patrick McHenry (Warminster, PA/Archbishop Wood) who headed the ball over the outstretched keepers hand giving the Centurions the golden goal victory and the ESAC championship. Kyle Davis had 5 saves and the win in goal while Luis Campoverde had one save in net.
"We showed real character today in coming from behind multiple times" commented Head Coach Justin Burroughs, "Gabriel (Meira) had to do a lot more today with us being shorthanded. They deserved this hard fought win, I'm very proud of all of them."
The win improves Bucks to 9-7 overall, while Manor drops to 10-3-1 on the season.
The Centurions now wait to see if they recieve a bid to the national tournament.
