BUENA VISTA, Va. Josh Patino volleyed home a corner with five
minutes left in a tight contest to down Averett 4-3. Patino's tally
was the last of a thrilling second half in which the visitor's
fought back to take the game into a deadlock. The Knights now stand
at 6-3-1 on the season.
Things did not look good for the Knights as they went down early
to a quick score by the Cougars. A foul in the box was called for a
penalty, and Tuuka Myyra stepped forward to place the ball past a
diving Ben May.
After a humbling 5-0 loss to the Cougars earlier in the season,
SVU fans would have been forgiven for have a sense of deja-vu about
this contest. Cisco Osegueda had other plans, and led the Knights
for the next 35 minutes. Osegueda scored at the 27:05 mark of the
first after a long free kick from Derrick Maggard was slammed
around the box, until it was met by Osegueda's foot to tie the
match up. He struck again nine minutes later as another Maggard
free kick was put out to the 18-yard line, and Osegueda volleyed
past the helpless Averett keeper.
Things looked to be heading to a 2-1 lead for the Knights at the
half, but Osegueda again latched on to a long ball cleared out of
the back and raced to finish the play. The goal sent the home fans
into a frenzy as the score board showed :03 eft in the half.
SVU looked to establish dominance in te second and finish off
the game, but the visitors upped the pressure, and were soon only
one back of the hosts after Christopher Jordan met a Levi Earl
through ball and slotted past May to the far corner. A back and
forth affair had moments of tension, and both teams had players
booked.
SVU hearts sank as Averett pushed for the equalizer and found it
as Niclas Karlen met a Myyra cross and headed past a stranded May
to even up the game. But if the Cougars were thinking victory, so
were the Knights, and Patino pounced the quickest to put the
Knights up for good, and secure the victory.
The Knights will be back in action Oct. 10 as they host
Gallaudet. SVU scored a 4-1 win against the Bison earlier in the
season.
