William Penn Victorious in Wild Rivalry Game
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Oskaloosa–The few fortunate souls who stuck around after Wednesday night’s weather delay were treated to an unbelievable ending as the Statesmen men’s soccer team defeated rival Grand View 4-3 in overtime in a Heart of America Athletic Conference classic.
WPU (9-2, 4-1 Heart) ran the gamut of emotions Wednesday, thinking it might win via weather to hoping for a tie to finally running all over the pitch like mad men.
The hosts, who won for just the third time in the head-to-head series but second time in the last four meetings, trailed in the final minute of regulation. They refused to wave the proverbial white flag, though, and forced overtime with a goal into the wind, and then somehow scored again going the same direction to claim the extra-session victory.
The Vikings (4-4-1, 2-2-1 Heart) were first to score, doing so in the 36th minute.
Wallace Nyamunda (Fr., Harare, Zimbabwe, Industrial Technology) then went to work in an unforgettable collegiate debut. Donny Mesina (Jr., Inglewood, Calif., Sports Management), who now has three assists this season, pounded a free kick into the box. The ball popped up and went over the head of the GVU keeper, leaving the goal wide open. Nyamunda was first to the ball and put it away at the 41:41 mark.
The 1-1 halftime score turned to 2-1 in favor of the home squad just 1:35 into the second stanza as Eduardo Bonatto (So., Rio Grande, Brazil, Business Management) slotted a pass forward for Nyamunda who punched a shot into the netting.
Just prior to the score, however, the Statesmen unfortunately lost their starting keeper Miguel Barbosa (Jr., Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sport Management) to an injury on a collision with a Grand View player. Austin Munoz (Jr., Harrisville, Utah, Sports Management) was thrust into his first varsity action and performed well, keeping the Vikings in the deficit. That is, until Mother Nature intervened. The game was delayed for nearly an hour, and when play resumed, WPU went from having a southerly wind at its back to facing it head-on from the north.
That was just the jump-start GVU needed, tying up the game in the 78th minute and then going ahead with just 1:45 to go.
Shell-shocked, the Statesmen could have easily conceded defeat. Instead, with the final seconds of regulation ticking away, Luis Amezquita (Jr., Inglewood, Calif., Sociology) flared a free kick across the center line. It was headed out of the GVU box, but right to the feet of Bonatto who had enough time and space to calmly take a try and it hit paydirt with only 28 seconds left.
Bonatto now has three goals and four assists in 2018, while Amezquita has two assists this campaign.
Overtime ensued, and despite losing the coin toss to once again face a headwind, the navy and gold found a way. As per the usual, Messina launched a throw-in right in front of the goal. The ball found its way to the ground, and after several individuals gave it a poke, Bernardo Lima (Fr., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Exercise Science) put a strong foot on it and set off a frenzied celebration.
Lima’s goal is his third of the fall.
“This was one of the craziest games I have ever witnessed in my coaching career,” Head Coach Jaymee Highcock said. “We started slow, but picked up a goal right before half and right after half and nearly had the game won due to the delay. Unfortunately, the wind and our attitude changed during the break, and if not for a fantastic strike from our captain, we would have lost the game.”
“It is an unbelievable feeling to win in overtime; the guys simply found a way,” Highcock added. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Miguel as we hope his injury (concussion) is not too serious.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Lamoni Saturday to face Graceland in Heart play at 8:30 p.m.
