Magical Season Ends with Shootout Loss
Donny Mesina is given the game ball by William Penn Athletic Director Nik Rule on Saturday night.
Oskaloosa–The best season in William Penn men’s soccer program history ended in the most heart-breaking and unjust way as the Statesmen fell to Hastings in a penalty-kick shootout in the championship game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round Saturday.
Top-seeded William Penn (15-5-1) was tied 2-2 with second-seeded Hastings (17-2-3) after 110 minutes of play, forcing the shootout situation. Unfortunately, the Broncos connected on their first four tries, while the navy and gold were only successful on one and the host squad was ousted from the tournament.
The season was a record-breaking one for the Statesmen as they set new marks for wins, goals (65), and assists (50), and advanced to their first-ever national tournament.
The evenly-matched contest saw WPU, which held a 27-22 edge in shots (11-11 in shots on goal), go into halftime knotted in a scoreless tie with HC.
The second period was a different, much wilder story as Kenedy Deviska (So., Pignon, Haiti, Wellness and Recreation) broke it open early, scoring off a rebounded kick by Aaron Garcia (Jr., Oceanside, Calif., Exercise Science) at the 49:13 mark. Garcia’s assist is his second of 2019.
The William Penn defense that had posted six shutouts during the campaign continued to play well and had the squad less than nine minutes away from advancing to the next round. Hastings had other plans, however, not only tying the game in the 82nd minute, but then pulling ahead just 88 seconds later.
With its proverbial backs to the wall, the Statesmen answered with another Deviska goal at the 85:11 mark. This time he claimed his own rebounded shot and put it away for the equalizer; it was his 12th goal of the fall.
Despite numerous chances (WPU with a 7-2 advantage in shots) in the two extra sessions, neither side was able to walk off in Golden Goal fashion.
Instead, both teams then picked their top five strikers for the shootout event. The Broncos fired first and were successful, but Eduardo Bonatto (Sr., Rio Grande, Brazil, Business Management) answered on the bottom half of the round, just out of the reach of the HC goalkeeper.
Hastings put their second-round try in the netting, while the chance by Martinez was stopped. The visitors extended their advantage to 3-1 in the top of the third round, and then their keeper made another huge save of a shot via Bernardo Lima (Sr., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Exercise Science) to set up the winning attempt in the top of the fourth round.
Austin Munoz (Sr., Harrisville, Utah, Sports Management) finished with nine saves in his final collegiate contest.
“This was an incredible effort from our guys!” Head Coach Jaymee Highcock said. “They left it all on the field and can be proud of everything they achieved this season. This year will not be defined by tonight’s defeat. We went above and beyond ever goal that we put in place at the start of the campaign. This season was for everyone associated with the University. I want to say a big thank you to everyone for what they did for this team!”
The loss ends the collegiate careers of seniors Luis Amezquita (Inglewood, Calif., Sociology), Enrico Baldon (Sao Paulo, Brazil, Kinesiology and Exercise Science), Steve Avelar (Los Angeles, Calif., Sociology), Bonatto, Akram Hassan (Falls Church, Va., Psychology), Amgad Hassan (Falls Church, Va., Computer Science), Lima, Donny Mesina (Inglewood, Calif., Sports Management), Joe Minton (Stoke-on-Trent, England, Physical Education), Munoz, and Moussa Ndiaye (St. Louis, Mo., Business Management).
