Staten Island, NY | The College of Staten Island returned home coming off of the program’s first-ever victory over Rowan University for a matchup with Concordia College, their first Division II opponent, and fell in overtime by a score of 3-2. The Dolphins netted the game’s first goal to take a 1-0 lead, but back-to-back goals by the Clippers gave them a 2-1 advantage that stood late into the second half. With under 4 minutes remaining, the Dolphins scored the equalizer to force an overtime period which saw Nemanja Zivanovic score the golden goal to give Concordia the 3-2 victory. The Clippers evened their record at 1-1 with the win and dropped CSI to 1-2.
After Concordia opened the game by narrowly missing just wide of the post on a shot attempt by Freddy Nava, both teams went back-and-forth for the majority of the first half. The Clippers looked to play the ball long and pass over the top of the Dolphins defense as CSI looked to capitalize on runs to create their scoring chances. Many of these attempted runs saw the officials blow the whistle for offsides as CSI was called offsides three times in the first half of play.
Despite the whistles blown against them, it was the Dolphins that got on the scoreboard first late in half number one as Philip Lefkowitz took the ball down the far sideline with speed before sending a low-to-the-ground cross into the center of the box. The ball was perfectly placed, just beyond the reach of Clippers goalkeeper Mikael Varin and right onto the foot of Carlos Montesinos who put it into the back of the net to put CSI ahead 1-0 with under four minutes to play in the first half.
Trailing by a goal entering the second half, Concordia came out of the gate strong in half number two. Less than two minutes after play resumed, Alessandro Battaglia fired a shot toward goal that was initially blocked, but he was immediately able to gather his rebound and put the second attempt past Jake Foeldes to even the score at 1-1. Less than five minutes later, it was Nemanja Zivanovic breaking up the right sideline into open space before sending a shot past a diving Foeldes to give his team the 2-1 advantage.
The score would remain 2-1 for the next 15 minutes before the Dolphins had their best opportunity to get even on another beautiful feed from Lefkowitz, this time connecting with Daniel Angulo. Unfortunately for CSI, Angulo sent the potential equalizer high over the crossbar and their deficit remained a single goal.
Over the final 25 minutes, the game became increasingly physical as three yellow cards were issued with the Clippers battling to maintain their slim lead and the Dolphins looking to get even. It would take over 20 of those 25 minutes for CSI to get back on the scoreboard, but they did just that with under four minutes to play when Breny Salas found Joe Bolella from in close to knot things up at 2-2.
The 2-2 score stood for the rest of regulation sending the game into overtime where over nine and a half minutes passed without a goal. However, it was Zivanovic who delivered the golden goal, his second of the game, with just 18 seconds to play in the first extra frame. After the ball had been knocked away from the Clippers by a Dolphins defender, it wound up on the foot of Zivanovic who dribbled to his right and launched a long shot over Foeldes and just underneath the crossbar. This sent the Concordia bench pouring out onto the field in celebration as the Dolphins suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat.
The Clippers outshot the Dolphins 15-9 overall in the game but only held a 6-5 advantage in shots on goal. Montesinos and Bolella each registered their first goal of the season for the Dolphins while Battaglia also netted his first for Concordia. However, no goal was more important than the second of the game scored by Zivanovic to send his team home with the victory.
Following today’s matchup with the Clippers, the Dolphins will be right back in action on Friday for a matchup under the lights against #5 Adelphi University at 7:30 PM.
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