Newberry S.C. – The Newberry men's soccer team secured their first win of the season in a thrilling overtime match against Lincoln Memorial University. With the Railsplitters holding a 2-0 lead with less than 15 minutes left on the clock, the Wolves showed their mettle by scoring twice in regulation to even the score and then clinching the victory with a golden goal from Tre Bonaparte in overtime.
 
The game got off to a familiar start for the Wolves this season, as they put frequent pressure on the Railsplitters but struggled to capitalize on their opportunities. Promising runs down the sideline yielded opportunities for crosses into the box, but the LMU defense was able to repeatedly deflect the ball away. With the visitors on their heels so often, Newberry was able to force four corner kicks in the first 29 minutes of play, but while the defense bent early on, it did not break. The Railsplitters eventually turned the tide of the game and went on the attack more as the half wore on. Off a set piece in the 39^th minute, the ball was sent into the box and Newberry keeper Pablo Cubas made a diving save, but he was unable to prevent LMU's Tim Townsend from volleying the rebound into the net, sending the score to 1-0 as the clock ticked toward the break.
 
Coming into the second half, it was LMU who generated early opportunities, with a pair of corner kicks in the opening minutes. The Wolves' defense held strong, and when Cubas again had to lay out to make a save in the 58^th minute the Railsplitters seemed certain to score again, but Cubas was able to recover enough to get a foot on the ball and deflect it over the crossbar. But 10 minutes later, another LMU set piece would see the visitors extend their lead when Lars Popp fired a quick shot off a pass from Peter Majer.
 
As time ticked down and the Railsplitters looked to eat up clock, it seemed as if the Wolves were headed for another loss. Instead, they showed that this team still has some bite. When freshman Oliver Rinqvist unleashed a rocket from outside the box into the upper right corner of the goal, it galvanized the team and fired up the crowd. With just a one-goal lead, LMU played extra men back, desperate to prevent the Wolves from equalizing. But with just four minutes left on the clock, Henok Awoke fired a shot that forced LMU keeper Robin Herrmann to lay out for the save, allowing senior Noah Vezzu to come in and score his first goal of the season off the rebound. With the score tied at the end of regulation, the game went into overtime.
 
Heading into the extra period, both teams were desperate for a player to net score the goal that would allow them to walk off with a victory. Today, it was Tre Bonaparte's time for heroics. The senior from Connecticut, who had so many great runs throughout the game to pressure the LMU defense, would score his first goal of the season off another set piece. The tension was palpable as tempers flared and legs weakened, but Bonaparte was cool under pressure. In the 95^th minute, he made his last run of the night and fired a shot into the goal, with the assist provided by TJ Paul. The Wolves immediately mobbed him in celebration, finally earning that elusive victory.
 
After the game, head coach Bryce Cooper offered his take on the victory: "A much needed and deserved result for us today. We've been so close many times this year and have come up short. Really proud of our guys for staying positive and committed during a tough stretch of games to open the season. They showed great perseverance to come back today after going down 2-0 to tie the game and then win it in extra time. Sometimes all it takes is a defining moment in a season to provide that belief and momentum; I hope today was that moment."
 
The Wolves continue their season with another conference matchup, this time against Limestone University. The game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 29.