CLINTON, Miss. – The Mississippi College men's soccer team fought back from an early deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with Spring Hill College on Saturday afternoon in an intense, back-and-forth matchup that went into overtime, before MC fell in penalty kicks.
Spring Hill (5-7-3) took the lead in the 5th minute, with Alessandro Abate scoring off an assist from Adrian Rodriguez to make it 1-0. The goal came after an early offensive push from the Badgers, but Mississippi College (8-5-3) responded quickly.
In the second half, Spring Hill's Alessandro Merlo extended their lead to 2-0 in the 48th minute. Merlo capitalized on a loose ball in the box to score his fifth goal of the season, leaving the Choctaws with a tough hill to climb.
The Choctaws answered back in the 53rd minute when Jayce Dotson found the back of the net with an assist from Angel Carceles to pull Mississippi College within one, 2-1. Dotson's fifth goal of the season came after a well-placed pass from Carceles, who was a key contributor throughout the match.
As time wound down, Mississippi College earned a penalty kick in the 65th minute after a foul in the box. Senior Sergio Garrido calmly stepped up and converted the penalty, bringing the score to 2-2 and sending the game into extra time.
Despite several scoring opportunities in the overtime periods, neither team could break the deadlock. Mississippi College had a few solid chances, including a shot from Garrido in the second overtime, but Spring Hill goalkeeper Martin Gomez was up to the task, finishing with six saves on the day.
On the other end, Mississippi College goalkeeper Cole Turner had two saves and helped keep the Choctaws in the game with key stops, including one in the second half that kept the deficit at one.
In total, Mississippi College outshot Spring Hill 19-5, including 8 shots on goal compared to 4 for the Badgers. The Choctaws also had a 6-0 advantage in corner kicks, but Spring Hill's defense and Gomez's goalkeeping kept them in the match.
Scoring Summary:
1st Half
- 5:36 – Spring Hill: Alessandro Abate (2) assisted by Adrian Rodriguez
- 48:15 – Spring Hill: Alessandro Merlo (5)
2nd Half
Team Statistics:
Shots:
- Spring Hill: 5 (4 on goal)
- Mississippi College: 19 (8 on goal)
Saves:
- Spring Hill: 6 (Gomez)
- Mississippi College: 2 (Turner)
Corner Kicks:
- Spring Hill: 0
- Mississippi College: 6
Fouls:
- Spring Hill: 13
- Mississippi College: 9
Key Players:
