Men's Soccer Outlasts Elon in OT, 3-2

Saturday, September 22

Vidas Field

4 p.m.

Drexel University

6-1-1 (1-1-0)

Elon

3-4-0 (0-1-0)

OT 2

Elon

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

9/22/2018 6:37:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – A young Drexel men's soccer team started 10 underclassmen on Saturday afternoon at Vidas Field, taking on an Elon team that had eight upperclassmen in its lineup. In the end, youth outlasted experience as the Dragons (6-1-1, 1-1-0 CAA) withstood the Phoenix (3-4-0, 0-1-1) in overtime, 3-2.

The Dragons' lone senior starter had more than just a supporting role, however. Senior Mathias Ebbesen netted the game-winner on a penalty kick, his second PK of the season and his Colonial Athletic Association-best seventh goal overall, in the 93rd minute. He was joined in the goal scoring column by sophomore Laolu Daranijo, netting his first of the year, and junior Francisco Rodrigues da Palma, who came in off the bench for his first of the season.

Meanwhile, junior Kwesi Allen had an assist and drew the penalty which set up Ebbesen's game-winner, his sixth point of the year. Freshman Chris Donovan also had an assist for his fifth point of the season. Redshirt-freshman Stephen Kopsachilis reeled in three saves in the win, completing a week in which he allowed just one goal during the course of normal play en route to a 2-0-0 week.

The Dragons got on the board first, after a plodding, back-and-forth first 24 minutes. They struck quickly, capitalizing on a giveaway in the Elon defensive zone to rush into the box. Mathias Ebbesen attempted to work his way between defenders for a shot back across his body, but it was blocked down by a Phoenix defender, who tried to clear it out of harm's way. That clear attempt did not go as planned, though, as the ball feebly bounced to Laolu Daranijo breaking into the box from the bench side. He took advantage of the opportunity, driving his first goal of the season into the back of the net in the 25th minute and putting Drexel on top, 1-0.

The lead did not last long, though. Five minutes later, Elon's Marcel Fahrenholz sent a long cross into the box where Nick Adamczyk, who snuck behind the Dragon defense cutting down the right sideline, darted towards the goal and headed it in to knot things back up.

In the second half, the Dragons took the lead back in the 57th minute. It started with a perfectly-placed pass from Kwesi Allen to Chris Donovan, covering nearly 50 yards of ground as Donovan gained control along the right side closing in on the box. He quickly fed the ball across to Francisco Rodrigues da Palma, who deposited it in the back of the net for his first of the year. Again, though, the Dragons' lead did not last as a penalty kick goal by Elon's Amir Berkane in the 71st minute tied things up at 2-2, where the score stayed through a chippy second half that featured four yellow cards, sending the teams into extra time.

It did not take long for the Dragons to find a capper in overtime. Less than three minutes in, Allen raced into the box along the right edge. As he looked to make a cross, he was tackled from behind and tripped off his feet. The call was made for a penalty kick, and Ebbesen made it count.

The win gives Drexel its most in any single season since winning nine on the way to a CAA regular season and tournament title in 2013. It also wrapped up a 3-1-0 homestand, sending Drexel on the road with three points in conference action. The Dragons will have opportunities to build on that total on the road when they visit Hofstra on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. They will also visit the College of Charleston on Sept. 29 and Rutgers on Oct. 2 before returning home for Alumni Day on Oct. 6 against UNCW.