Box Score
Erie, Pa. – With its back against the wall and facing two must-win road games this weekend, the Millersville men's soccer team answered the bell in a big way. The Marauders battled back-to-back nationally-ranked teams and put itself right back into postseason contention by defeating Gannon on Friday and upsetting the previously unbeaten No. 4 Mercyhurst Lakers 1-0 in overtime Saturday.
The Marauders suffered a tough loss at Shippensburg just a week ago causing doubts to arise regarding their chance to return to PSAC playoff action for the fourth year in a row. Millersville was sitting in the middle of the pack with just nine points and losses to conferencing leading East Stroudsburg and Slippery Rock.
There were two other teams ahead of Millersville in the standings before this weekend's action. Those teams were No. 12 Gannon and No. 4 Mercyhurst. Yesterday afternoon Mercyhurst settled for a 1-1 draw with PSAC basement dweller West Chester giving it 12 points and putting it in a three-way tie for third. While that contest was coming to an end, Millersville began what would be a 4-1 victory, adding them to four-way tie for third with Gannon, Mercyhurst, and Slippery Rock.
The opportunity came today at 4 p.m., when the Marauders and Lakers set up for a pivotal showdown. Millersville (10-4-1, 5-3-0 PSAC) and Mercyhurst (12-1-3, 3-1-3 PSAC) had met just two times previously, with Mercyhurst winning both games.
Saturday's contest stood scoreless after 90 minutes of regulation and needed overtime to decide the outcome. In regulation, the Lakers held a slight 11-9 edge in shots. Marauder keeper Matt Langione recorded five saves in the first two periods to give his team a chance.
In the 95th minute, Millersville earned a corner kick. Just an evening ago, the Marauders scored a game-winning goal on a Aaron Roland header off a Pat Baffuto corner attempt. Baffuto was at the stick once again with plenty on the line--a chance to keep playoff dreams alive. Baffuto struck the ball and watched it find Roland's head again as he put it behind the Mercyhurst keeper to give the Marauders a 1-0 victory. It was the Lakers' first loss of the season.
Roland has been on fire for Millersville of late, scoring four goals and assisting on one in the last three games.
The Marauders now sit in a three-way tie for first with 15 points in the PSAC with East Stroudsburg and Shippensburg. The Marauders return home for non-conference action against Holy Family on Oct. 27, at 7p.m. The final league game of the season is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 30 against West Chester.
