Score: Elmira College 3, Marywood University 2
Records: Elmira College (3-4-2), Marywood University (2-5-2)
Location: Multipurpose Synthetic Turf Field | Scranton, PA
 
Scranton, PA -- After trailing 2-0 in the first half, the Elmira College men's soccer team dug deep and rallied for a 3-2 victory on the road against non-conference opponent, Marywood University.  Elmira is unbeaten in its last four contests, going 2-0-2 in those games.
 
The Pacers of Marywood took an early 1-0 lead, as Casey Peckio scored in the 13th minute on a set piece from 30 yards out. Peckio's goal came on Marywood's first shot attempt of the game.
 
Elmira looked to even the game in the first half, as the Soaring Eagles outshot the Pacers 9-to-5, but it would be Marywood who would get the score. With the half coming to a close, Marywood's Zachary Oster flicked a header off of a throw-in past EC netminder Kevin Huggins '16 to give the Pacers a 2-0 lead with just 18 seconds remaining in the half.
 
Facing their largest halftime deficit of the season, the Elmira men looked to chip away at the Pacer lead and did just that in the 51st minute on a goal by Michael Bryant '17.  Bryant's goal, which is his ninth of the season, cut the Marywood lead to just one with plenty of time left in regulation.
 
The Soaring Eagles kept pushing for an equalizer and finally broke through in the 71st minute, when rookie midfielder Aidan Gray '19 scored his first collegiate goal. Gray poked-in the game-tying goal after receiving a cross from Tony Barraco '18 on a corner kick.
 
Elmira nearly took the lead in the 78th minute, when John Broyles '19 saw his shot ricochet off the crossbar and then again in the 82nd minute, when Barraco had a shot carom off the post.
 
It looked as though Elmira was in store for another overtime game but that all changed in the 87th minute. With the half coming to a close, EC was awarded a corner kick which was taken by Barraco. On the corner, Barraco sent a ball into the mixer but instead of finding a purple jersey, his cross found the far post and the back of the net for the score, all but sealing a 3-2 comeback win for the Purple and Gold.
 
In Their Own Words…
Head Coach Keith Moore on his team's performance tonight…
"This one was a tricky one for us. We haven't performed as well as we should have in our previous mid-week away trips. Today was great to get a result on the road."
 
Coach Moore on his team's resiliency…
"It's been a pattern that we are working to fix, slow starts. I'm proud of how our guys react to adversity this season, we are becoming a team that doesn't lay down when things aren't going our way."
 
Coach Moore on what tonight's win does for the team moving forward…
"We are moving in the right direction game-by-game, it couldn't be any better for us going to Utica on Saturday. Collectively, we've learned a lot of things the hard way this season but things are starting to click for us now."
 
Turning Point
Today's turning point came in the 87th minute, when Barraco scored the game-winning goal with just 3:22 left in regulation. If Barraco did not find the back of the net, Elmira might have had to go into overtime for the third time in its last four games, something the Soaring Eagles desperately needed to avoid entering a crucial Empire 8 Conference game against Utica College this Saturday.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira owned a comfortable lead in shots, 24-to-9, including a whopping 15-to-4 lead in the second half.
• EC was fairly successful finding their target, putting 13-of-24 shots on goal.
• The Soaring Eagles held a 6-to-4 advantage in corner kicks, including a 5-to-2 lead in the second half.
• Three different players scored for Elmira.
• Elmira scored two goals off of corner kicks.
• Barraco finished with three points on one goal and one assist.
• Bryant's goal was unassisted in the 51st minute.
• Gray's game-tying goal came off a corner kick in the 71st minute.
• Barraco scored the game-winning goal.
• Huggins made three saves, all of which came in the second half.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira is unbeaten in its last four games, going 2-0-2 in those contests.
• EC has trailed by two goals at halftime in two games this season, going 1-1-0 in those games.
• Today's come-from-behind win is Elmira's first comeback victory of the year.
• Elmira's comeback win is the program's first since September 21, 2013, when the Soaring Eagles erased a one-goal deficit and claimed a 2-1 win over Alfred University.
• Barraco's game-winner is the first of his Elmira career.
• Barraco's goal in the 87th minute is the latest game-winning goal scored by an EC player since Bryant's game-winner in the 99th minute against SUNY Canton in 2013.
• Bryant's goal brings his season total to nine, which leads the Empire 8 Conference.
• Gray's goal is the first of his collegiate career.
• Huggins picked up his first win of the season.

 
Up Next
Elmira will look to push their unbeaten streak to five games this Saturday, October 3rd, when the Soaring Eagles travel to take on Empire 8 Conference foe, Utica College. Saturday's game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.