ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University men's soccer team tied 2-2 to Cabrini University in double-overtime on Tuesday evening and advanced into the Atlantic East Conference Championship on penalty kicks, 6-5.
Jake Kuzmick scored both goals for the Knights, one in each half. Seth Walker was busy in net and made 10 saves to help advance Neumann to the Atlantic East Championship game.
The Knights scored their first goal in the fourth minute when Kuzmick scored his first goal. Off a restart, the sophomore got past the Cavaliers keeper and put the ball in the net. Cabrini tied the game at two in the 14th minute on a header off a corner kick. As time as winding down in the first half, the Cavaliers had a shot go off the top of the crossbar and the teams went into halftime knotted at two.
Neumann started off strong in the second half with numerous shots on goal within the first few minutes. Kuzmick broke through again in the 60th minute as he beat the keeper again. Eddie Proud drew the assist on the goal. The Knights held their lead until the 79th minute when Cabrini tied the game up again 2-2 on another header. About five minutes prior, the Cavaliers thought they had tied the game, but had a goal called back due to an offsides call.
After two scoreless 10-minute overtime periods, the game officially ended in a tie. But someone needed to advance to the Atlantic East Championship and onto penalty kicks the teams went to decide.
After the initial first five shots, the teams were tied at four. Walker made a diving save to keep one Cabrini shot out of the net. The Knights had one shot go just over the net.
In the sixth round, both shooters scored goals. In the seventh round, Vince Landis stepped up and put the ball in the back of the net. The Cavaliers came forward to attempt the continue the shootout, and the ball went just wide, and the Knights ran on the field to celebrate with their keeper!
Neumann (7-7-2) heads to Marymount on Saturday for the 2022 Atlantic East Conference Championship. Start time is TBD.
