Wabash trailed 1-0 to Wittenberg after 62 minutes of soccer on Wednesday night, but the Little Giants rallied for a goal in regulation and the game-winner with 17 seconds left in double overtime to take a 2-1 win.
Junior Morgan Patchell (Kalamazoo, MI/Loy Norrix) (photo left) sent the Little Giant faithful fans at Mud Hollow Field into hysterics when he took a pass from Colin Smith (Zionsville, IN/Zionsville) that was set up by Tom Reifenberg (Ft. Wayne, IN/Bishop Dwenger). Patchell fired the shot past the Tigers’ goalkeeper with just 17 seconds remaining in the final overtime period to give Wabash the victory.
Patchell nearly scored the first goal of the match in the eighth minute of the match. The junior forward fired a shot over Adam Horrocks, but hit the top of the crossbar to give the ball back to Wittenberg. Sophomore Jeff Diebel (Ft. Wayne, IN/Homestead) had a shot hit the bottom of the crossbar and nearly bounce into the goal before Horrocks corralled the soccer ball and cleared it away for the Tigers. Another Patchell goal was waved off in the second half on an offside call. But the Little Giant defense stiffened after Sebastian Missura scored to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead at 61:08.
Diebel tied the match with less than seven minutes left when Patchell broke free at midfield with ball, lifting it ahead to senior Cody Lawson (Carmel, IN/Carmel). Lawson found Diebel (photo right) in front of the net to even the score at 1-1.
Wabash dominated the offensive attack, firing 29 total shots in the game with 13 going toward the net. Patchell and Diebel each finished with three shots on goal. Reifenberg had four shots at the net. Lawson, Sean McNulty (Ft. Wayne, IN/Bishop Luers), and freshman Greg Ridenour (Roanoke, IN/Canterbury) each had one shot on goal.
Sophomore Will McAdams (Carmel, IN/Carmel) earned his third win of the season in goal for the Little Giants. He made six saves while facing a total of 16 shots from Wittenberg. Patchell’s goal was his first game-winner of the season.
Wabash moves to 7-7-1 with the win, 2-3-1 in the NCAC. The Little Giants return to Mud Hollow Field on Saturday to play another NCAC squad when the Allegheny College Gator travel to Crawfordsville.