Box Score Sophomore Defender Scores Golden Goal in 2 OT
MARYVILLE – Noah Putman found a little late redemption, as the sophomore's headed a Golden Goal in the 101st minute to lift the Scots over Berry College.
Putman – an Old Hickory, Tenn. native – saw a late first-half pass from the Vikings glance off him and into the net for an own goal. The defender found the heroics, however, handing Berry its first loss of the season.
"It was great," Putman said. "It was an unfortunate goal with a little miscommunication in the back there. We bounce back, though. We've done it each game this year – come from behind. We fought hard, and to have an opportunity to win like that at the end is amazing."
Just 35 seconds into the second overtime, Ndubueze Henry lofted a corner kick to the near post.
Putman found it, heading the game winner to the left side.
"It's hard, especially for younger players," Head Coach Pepe Fernandez said. "To bounce back and make up for it and end that game in overtime, it says something about his character and this teams character. We've won two overtime games, and they've played four games in six days. We were on fire to start the game, and then our legs just died. Subs came in, and their legs died. To battle through what we've battled through, it's been some good teams. Berry is always a great team – well coached. It could have gone either way, but I thought our kids showed a lot of heart and character tonight."
Berry College (1-1) took a 1-0 lead to the locker room on the own goal. Jensen Brown drove the baseline, lining a hard cross to the middle. Brown's pass deflected off Putman and into the lower right corner in the 40th minute.
The Vikings held a 7-5 shot advantage in the first half, as Mykal Manfred turned away Berry's only shot on goal. Maryville managed three shots on frame, as the teams totaled nine fouls in the first 45 minutes.
The Scots (3-1) struck back just into the second half. In the 46th minute, just 18 seconds in, Henry lofted a pass to the right side, finding Austin Vinyard for a one-timer to cross the box. Keeper Jose Palacios dove at the pass, as William Bryan collected it on the back side for the 3-yard score. The goal knotted things at 1-all.
The score remained deadlocked, forcing over time at 1-1. MC had a couple of late opportunities in the second half, each falling just outside the post.
Berry outpaced the Scots, 12-10, on shots, while Maryville was the only squad to find a shot on goal in the second half. MC made that kick count to force overtime.
Vinyard had a key chance at with just under four minutes remaining in the first overtime, as Berry blocked his shot just wide right. Putman took over in the second overtime.
"I'd been sitting on the front post all night on the corner kicks, and they hadn't marked me," he said. "I was just waiting for the one. I saw it come, flicked it, said a prayer, and it went in."
The Scots finished with 14 shots to Berry's 13. Manfred – the keeper – turned away a pair of saves for MC.
Nathan Carlson led Berry with four shots to Brown's three, while the Scots spread 14 shots among eight players. Henry had two assists, as Vinyard added another.
Maryville will return to action on Friday, as the Scots host the Maryville College Invitational on the newly renovated field. MC takes on Southern Virginia University with a 7 p.m. scheduled first touch.
