Box Score

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

KING'S MEN'S SOCCER SEASON ENDS IN PENALTY KICKS AGAINST MORRISVILLE STATE

MORRISVILLE, NY --- The King's College men's soccer team dropped a heartbreaking decision to Morrisville State College in the first round of the Division III NCAA Tournament Friday afternoon in Morrisville, NY. After the game ended in a 1-1 draw Morrisville State advanced to the second round after defeating King's 5-4 in nine rounds of penalty kicks.

The game, which was postponed from Thursday due to snow, was played with a steady snow flurry that covered the field. The Monarchs' season ends with a record of 15-5-2 while Morrisville State improves to 16-2-1 and advances to face top-ranked, undefeated, two-time defending national champion Messiah College on Sunday in the second round.

Morrisville State got on the board first when Jesse Astudillo scored with 27:07 remaining in the first half. The Mustangs sent a free kick from midfield into the box that a Monarchs defender attempted to clear but was the wind didn't send the ball very far. Astudillo collected the ball off the failed clear and sent it into the left corner of the net from the top of the box. 

King's controlled possession much of the first half and outshot the Mustangs 8-3 but were not able to score. The Monarch's best chance came just 7:33 into the game when Chris Nygren sent a free kick from about 30 yards out towards the goal but the Mustangs keeper was there to punch the ball over the net for a save. Just 30 seconds later King's had another good look at goal when Nygren sent a corner kick into the box but the header from Niall Croke sailed just high of the net.

In the second half the Monarchs started with possession of the ball and wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. David Stroh took advantage of a Mustang turnover on the left wing, beat the Morrisville defender and then sent to ball into the bottom right corner of the net 56 seconds in. The rest of the half was back and forth with both teams having good opportunities to score but neither team being able to get it past the goalkeeper. The Mustangs had a few breakaway opportunities but Tyler Wilson came out of net and stopped the ball before the Morrisville attackers could get a shot off. The two overtime periods saw much of the same action as both teams had trouble controlling the ball due to snow and cold temperature on the field.

After 110 minutes of play the game headed into penalty kicks. MorrIsville State was chosen to shoot first.  Danny Peckham drilled the first shot past Wilson to give the Mustangs a 1-0 advantage. Erik Foster shot first for King's and his attempt was saved by Larkin. In the second round of kicks Jacob Chase missed for the Mustangs while Stroh, just like he did early in the second half, connected for the Monarchs to tie it up 1-1. In the third round of kicks Greg Squire missed wide left for the Mustangs while Raul Cruz made his shot to give King's a 2-1 advantage. Gilroy Alvarez had his shot saved by Wilson in the fourth round of kicks to set up Niall Croke for a chance to end it for the Monarchs. Croke's shot however was saved by Larkin to keep the score 2-1 after four rounds. Jamieson McKoy was able to keep the Mustangs hopes alive when he scored of the Mustangs fifth kick to even the score 2-2. Daniel Hernandez then had a chance to end it for the Monarchs but Larkin once again came up with a big save.

In the sixth round of kicks both Joe Sheehan of Morrisville State and Korbin Keene of King's were able to score to make it 3-3 through six rounds of PKs. Julian Rodriguez of Morrsiville State and Brian Alifano scored on their chances to make the score 4-4 through seven rounds. In the eighth round Eric Berglund's shot was saved by Wilson giving the Monarchs a third opportunity to end the game. However Larkin made another great save off a Tyler Harlan shot to keep the score 4-4. Yusuf Saunders gave the Mustangs a 5-4 advantage when he scored in the ninth round. The Monarchs left it up to Keegan Fees to tie the score but Larkin came up with another big save, his fifth of the penalty kicks, to seal the game for the Mustangs.

King's outshot Morrisville State 13-12 and held a 9-7 advantage in corner kicks. Wilson made five saves in goal for the Monarchs while Rob Larkin made six saves for the Mustangs.