Bublil Lifts Men's Soccer in Double Overtime, 2-1 Over VCU

Saturday, October 22

Vidas Field

4:00

Drexel University

Virginia Commonwealth

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Bublil Lifts Men's Soccer in Double Overtime, 2-1 Over VCU

10/22/2011 7:46:00 PM | Men's Soccer

BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA - Maybe double overtime is the Drexel men's soccer team's time. For the second time this season, the Dragons earned a Colonial Athletic Association victory in the game's 108th minute, this time 2-1 over VCU when Tal Bublil finished off a strong throw-in from Robert Liberatore and a header touch pass from Ken Tribbett. Drexel had trailed 1-0 in the second half of the contest before coming from behind to force the extra time, and won despite playing a man down for much of the second overtime after Brandon Zeller was booked for his second yellow card of the game late in the contest.

The goal was the first of Bublil's collegiate career.

Drexel had a chance to take an early lead in a familiar way on Saturday, as Malcolm LeBourne was tackled in the box in the game's 38th minute, allowing Ken Tribbett to line up for a penalty kick. This time, however, Tribbet's low scorcher was saved by VCU's Josh Pantazelos, diving to his left to haul the ball in.

That was the only threatening scoring chance for the Dragons in the first half, who also did a good job of keeping the Rams from getting a clean shot off despite VCU's speed up front. VCU had just one real solid look itself, as Juan Carlos Castillo's shot was saved by Pentti Pussinen in the 33rd minute.

Things continued in that manner for the first 20 minutes of the second half, before VCU finally took advantage of that speed in the 66th minute. Getting control of the ball near midfield, Romena Bowie chipped a pass over the heads of the Drexel defenders, hooking up with a streaking Jason Johnson, who had slipped behind the defense after Bowie connected on his pass. Johnson darted towards the net and drew Pussinen out, beating the sophomore keeper to his left.

Less than three minutes later, Drexel had its answer. Pushing tempo, the Dragons earned a penalty corner to the right of the VCU goal. Brandon Zeller inserted the ball, putting his right foot on it and curving the ball into LeBourne, who got a head on it and popped it past Pantazelos in the upper righthand corner.

With the score knotted at 1, the game progressed into overtime, and then the second overtime. Just over one minute into the final period, Zeller was hit with his second yellow card of the game, sending him to the bench for the rest of the contest. Down a man, the Dragons were unfazed, earning back-to-back corners and not letting the Rams get off a clean shot. Then, in the 108th minute, Drexel earned a throw in to the right of the goal. Liberatore took it, and launched a throw that nearly made it all the way to the goal. LeBourne skipped it off the top of his head, and Bublil lifted up to get a foot on it, connecting and beating Pantazelos to the right. When the ball hit the back of the net, the Dragons' bench exploded onto the field, having earned a must-win game.

The win gives Drexel 10 points in league play, two behind VCU, which was tied with Delaware for the final playoff spot coming into Saturday's action. Drexel has three games left, two of which are on the road. They return to action on Wednesday night when they visit Northeastern at 7:00 p.m.