Martin Fevre vs Scranton 110715
Wyatt Eaton
3
Winner Scranton SCR (10-6-2)
2
Elizabethtown ETWN-M (17-2-1)
Winner
Scranton SCR
(10-6-2)
3
Final
2
Elizabethtown ETWN-M
(17-2-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Scranton SCR 1 2 3
Elizabethtown ETWN-M 1 1 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Scranton scores twice in 23 seconds to take Landmark title from No. 6 Blue Jays

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Sports are notorious for providing roller coasters of emotion and it doesn't take very long for the highs to drop and the lows to rise. Sixth-ranked Elizabethtown College men's soccer found that out first hand Saturday night in the Landmark Conference championship game at Ira R. Herr Field.

Third-seeded Scranton (10-6-2) received goals from James Caulfield and Connor Casey 23 seconds apart in the 75th minute, turning a 2-1 deficit into its first league championship, 3-2.

A week removed from a 2-0 victory over the Royals in its regular season finale, No. 1 seed Elizabethtown (17-2-1) played with purpose early, trying to end a nine-year conference championship drought. Gilbert Waso was stopped by Scranton keeper Eric Hintz in the sixth minute, but the Jays took four shots in the opening 12:28.

E-town grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute after a strong throw from the right sideline by Sam Feehrer skipped off Shane Votto's head, deflected off a defender and bounced right to Martin Fevre, who ripped it home with the left foot from 20 yards.

Pat Codispoti gave Scranton new life in the 41st minute drilling home a pass from Tim DiBisceglie at the left post to knot the game at one.

Though Elizabethtown held a slim 8-6 advantage in shots, the teams went to the half tied.

That nearly changed 55 seconds into the second. Michael Bergen got a beautifully placed shot past Rodrigo Barrera, but it hit off the crossbar. Less than two minutes later, in the 48th, Feehrer lofted a ball from in front of the Blue Jay bench that bounced in the box as Cal Graziano and Hintz made inadvertent contact around at the six-yard box. Votto was there to blast home a shot from the left of the six to put the home team back in front.

Elizabethtown, a pristine 11-0-0 at home entering Saturday night's game, held its 2-1 lead until the 75th minute. On the attack, the Royals' Henry Bonilla turned just outside the 18 and fed tournament MVP James Caulfield who popped a shot into the left corner.

Before the Blue Jays could gather themselves, Scranton was storming back down the field. Ryan Smith dribbled down the middle of the field before sliding a pass out to a streaking Connor Casey, who already had a step on E-town's defense. Casey rifled a shot from just inside the 18 to the upper right for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning tally.

Barrera made a game-high seven saves and kept the Blue and Gray in position to tie with a huge diving save in the 78th minute on a Bergen shot earmarked for the left upper 90. But the Blue Jays were simply not able to generate the offense in the second half.

The Royals outshot E-town 10-4 in the final 45 minutes and 16-12 for the game. Bergen and Codispoti led the visitors with three each. Hintz made three saves.

Saturday's title locked Scranton into the upcoming NCAA Division III Tournament with the Landmark's automatic berth. The Blue Jays will have to anxiously await word on whether they will qualify for their first national tournament since 2006.

They'll find out Monday at 1:30 p.m., when the field is announced during a selection show that will stream live at NCAA.com.
 
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