Gwynedd Valley, Pa. –
Kouassi Kouadio (Mount Pocono, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) scored just 1:04 into overtime on Saturday afternoon to lift Keystone College to a 2-1 victory at Gwynedd Mercy University in Colonial States Athletic Conference men's soccer action. The Giants notched their fifth straight victory to improve to 11-4-1 overall and 6-1-1 in conference play while assuring themselves of their highest-ever CSAC postseason seed having obtained a new program record 19 points in league play.
Keystone, whose 11 wins are the most in school history since the 2004 club went 11-9-1, can secure its first-ever first round bye and a home CSAC semifinal game with a win in Tuesday's regular season finale at Rosemont College.
Keystone took a 1-0 lead in the 29
th minute of Saturday's contest as
Carlos Bonilla (Clermont, Fla./East Ridge) scored his team-leading seventh goal of the fall and fourth in the last three games by finding the back of the net after taking a feed from Kouadio, who picked up his third assist of the fall on the tally.
The Giants held the one-goal edge at halftime after outshooting Gwynedd Mercy 7-5 in the opening 45 minute of play including a 6-0 advantage in shots on goal.
The Griffins (1-14-1, 1-7 CSAC) tied the game at 1-1 just 2:53 into the second half as Kevin Bowers scored the equalizer on a free kick from 30 yards out.
Gwynedd Mercy was awarded a penalty kick in the 53
rd minute, but the attempt by Bowers hit the bottom of the crossbar and was cleared to safety by Keystone's defense to keep the game level.
Abreham Kittel (Trumansburg, N.Y./Charles O. Dickerson) nearly put the Giants ahead in the 86
th minute, but his shot hit the crossbar to send Keystone into extra time for just the second time this fall.
Keystone needed just 1:04 of play in overtime to find the game-winner as Kouadio took a pass from Kittel and beat Griffins' netminder Kace Peters to end the game. Kouadio's goal was his third of the season while Kittel's assist was his fourth of the fall.
Keystone held a 19-7 advantage in shots for the game including a 9-1 lead in shots on goal for the contest. The Giants also created nine corner kick opportunities to just one for Gwynedd Mercy.
Malcom Moreira (Hillside, N.J./St. Benedict Prep) picked up the win in goal for the visitors without making a save while Peters turned aside six shots from the Griffins.
Keystone will close out the regular season on Tuesday night with a CSAC contest at Rosemont College. Opening kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. in Rosemont, Pennsylvania.