After another dominating win by the Lady Eagles over Northern Virginia, the Eagles and Riverhawks would do battle long into the night with the out come decided in the final few seconds.
The game started with the Riverhawks and Eagles in a defensive standoff until the 31st minute when the Eagles were unable to clear and Riverhawk Robert Burlew took a pass from J.T. Roberts and scored. The half ended with Cincinnati leading 1-0.
The Eagles came out strong in the second half and would eventually outshoot the Riverhawks 13 to 2 in the second half but could not finish any of their opportunities. Finally the line-up had to be shaken up and with the addition of Joey Johnson the Eagles were very strong up front.
In the 85th minute Joey Johnson blasted a shot past goalie Estrada and the game was tied. The assist came from a sub, midfielder Derik Avilez. Goalie Dwayne Adams made another game saving play toward the end of regulation and neither team could put in the winning goal but the Eagles had the momentum and looked like the eventual winner.
The first overtime went by with no real serious chance for either team. The second overtime started with the Eagles having already played and won two previous double overtime games both ending in amazing fashion. Would the third time also be the same. Stay tuned !
The Eagles continued to dominate in the second overtime but could not finish; this is beginning to be a reoccuring theme. With approximately 1:30 in the game forward Joe Merik was injured and was down for the rest of the time on the clock. A substitution was made.
The game restarted and after a few seconds an amazing sequence occured. Dustin Swinehart took a shot from the goalies right side. It was saved but went right to Jose Gomez who headed the ball at the goal where a defender headed the ball off the goal line - the ball looked like it might have been in but Nate Watkins headed the ball right back into the net, setting off a wild celebration. Nate Watkins had told team mates early that if he scored the winning goal he would take off his shirt and throw it into the crowd. Well he did remove his shirt but before he could toss it into the crowd he was mobbed by his team mates. I know it's not a playoff game but it's still nice to have fun and win !!!
STATS
Shots Char-24 Saves Char-5 Fouls Char-8 Offside Char-5 Corners Char-8
Cinn-10 Cinn-4 Cinn-14 Cinn-4 Cinn-5
STARTERS
Charlotte- Goalie Dwayne Adams, Parry, Watkins, Miller, Eason, Swinehart, Pinch, Gajarda(Mouw 50'), Leib(Avilez 73'), Norkus (Gomez 75'), Galeano(Johnson 82')
Cincinnati- Goalie Freddy Estrada, Descombs, Lowery, Matis, Pickup, Kaszuba, Merik (Fall 109'), Roettker (Masturzo 70'), Roberts (Mucino 63'), Alcerro (Labastida 78'), Burlew ( Vaughn 70')
CAUTIONS
Charlotte- Pinch- yellow- 9th min, Leib-yellow- 70th min.
Cincinnati- Roettker-yellow-41st min., Alcerro-yellow-76th min., Vaughn-yellow-100th min.
REFEREES- Quisenberry, Canalez, Oberle, Krajewski
ATTENDENCE- 1,450
EAGLEMAN OF THE MATCH- NATE WATKINS
