Friday, October 11th saw the Niagara College men's soccer program advance to the second round of the OCAA Playoffs as the Knights earned a hard-fought 2-1 double overtime victory against the St. Clair Saints. The road victory moves the Knights into the crossover phase of the Playoffs and the team will now travel to Ottawa to face the OCAA East Division champion Algonquin Thunder.
Second-year forward Austin MacDonell of Pickering, Ontario provided the late game heroics recording his third game winning goal of the season in the 117th minute.
The victory marks the first time the Knights have advanced to the second round of the OCAA Playoffs.
After the match Knights head Coach Frank DeChellis commented "with tonight's game, the men's soccer program is heading into uncharted waters. Tonight was a solid effort that saw our total team work effort and fitness pay off."
The Saints opened the scoring in the 16th minute when second year forward Gabriel Poulino converted on a loose ball from 15 yards out.
Despite being down 1-0 at the half the Knights players "had no doubt" in their ability to come from behind in the second half said Coach DeChellis.
Rookie forward Carlos Williams got the Knights on the board in the 65th minute converting on a cross from second-year Brewmaster and Brewery Management student Erik Greiner (Hamburg, NY). The goal gives the St. Catharines native Williams his team leading sixth goal of the season.
The two evenly matched teams traded momentum shifts throughout the duration regular time, but neither team were able to capitalize.
Finally with penalty kicks looming, and just five minutes remaining in the second overtime, MacDonell found himself one-on-one with Saints keeper Shane Beaton after a pass from Welland native Christian Carvajal.
MacDonell made no mistake in converting what would hold up to be the game winner. The five-foot-11 Pickering High School graduate is currently studying fitness and health promotion at Niagara College.
MacDonell is the current OCAA Men's Soccer athlete of the week, and for his performance in the Knights' two matches last week, MacDonell was selected as the Niagara College athlete of the week.
The grueling 120 minute affair saw the fitness and depth of both teams tested. After the match, veteran Knights forward Jamal Gaskin commented "As a team we all wanted the same thing tonight and our effort showed on the field."
The second year Broadcasting, Radio, Television, and Film student relieved MacDonell late in the match, and provided the Knights with some inspired individual play in the dying minutes.
Gaskin continued "I felt like I could do something to leave my mark on the game. Everyone in this program knows that when the coach calls, you need to make the most of your minutes."
The Knights will now travel to Ottawa on Saturday, October 19th to face the OCAA East Division champion Algonquin Thunder. Kick-off is set for 3:00pm.
