California Baptist University
Fresno Pacific
HEARTBREAK HOTEL
10/13/2007 7:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Box Score
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- As far as heartbreakers go, this one takes the cake.
The NAIA's No. 10-ranked Fresno Pacific used a pair of late strikes Saturday, one in regulation and one in double-overtime, to escape Riverside with a 3-2 come-from-behind win over California Baptist.
The loss is the Lancers' third straight, each of them to nationally-ranked teams, as they fall to 6-6-1 overall, 2-4-0 (6 points) GSAC. The Sunbirds pick up their fifth straight win and improve to 11-2-1, 5-2-0 (15 points).
With time running down in the second overtime and a tie seemingly inevitable, Fresno Pacific's Adrian Alvarado cleaned up a loose ball off a corner kick and snuck the game-winner in with 1:24 left on the clock. It was Alvarado's second goal of the match.
The Sunbirds, who won their fifth straight in Riverside and tenth in 13 matches all-time at Lancer Field, struck early when Mihailo Jovanovic tucked away his second goal of the season at the 4:34 mark. Just like Alvarado's game-winner, Jovanovic cleaned up a failed clearance off a free kick and found the far post.
It took CBU no less then nine seconds to equalize when off the ensuing kickoff, Cesar Nava found Ryan Loza streaking down the left side. Loza, who was making just the second start of his four-year career, tucked away his first goal of the season.
Then in the 11th minute, the Lancers struck again with what might be the best strike of the season to date. CBU was awarded a free kick on the right side of the 18-yard box, near the right sideline, and Andy Doyle whipped the ball over FPU keeper Brandon Cave and into the upper-90 of the far post to give the Lancers an improbable 2-1 advantage.
The next 67 minutes might have been the longest of CBU's season as the Lancers worked to kill off the remaining time and sneak away with what would have been a big win. The Sunbirds out-shot the Lancers, 27-12, on the game but none were overly threatening until Alvarado scored his first goal of the game in the 78th minute, converting a through ball into the box from Pablo Campos to tie the game at 2-2 and essentially force overtime.
The Sunbirds turned up the pressure in the extra time, out-shooting the Lancers, 8-1, in the final 18:36 of the match. They very nearly won the game in the first overtime, putting one in the net as the clock expired, but the referee waved off the potential game-winner.
In the second overtime, the Sunbirds received their third corner kick of the game. The ball was sent into the box, and Jovanovic took a rip that was blocked. The ball bounced around and fell to the feet of Alvarado, who slipped it inside the left post.
CBU keeper Adam Kramer made five saves, while Cave finished with two.
