Box Score

HAMILTON, N.Y. (11/5/11) – The Colgate men's soccer team played to its fifth double overtime tie of the season with Navy 0-0 at Van Doren Feld.
 
The tie marked the eighth overtime game of the season for Colgate and matched the programs record for the most played in a season, which was set twice in 2003 and 2010.
 
The Raiders completed the regular season with a 4-1-2 Patriot League record, securing the No. 2 seed going into the 2011 Patriot League Tournament that will take place next weekend in Washington, D.C. Navy clinched the No. 4 spot.
 
Navy came out as the more attacking team in the first half, putting pressure on Colgate's (10-4-5, 4-1-2 PL) defense as the Raiders struggled to clear the ball. As the game progressed, majority of the action was in Colgate's half until the midpoint, when the Raiders were finally able to build some offense through some good movement in the midfield and take some shots. After a physical first 45 minutes of play however, neither team was able to put the ball into the frame, ending the half with the score tied at 0-0.
 
Colgate came into the second half unknowingly playing for the regular-season title because American had just lost to Holy Cross, leaving the title within the Raiders' grasp. Both teams came out playing a very physical game in search of the first goal. Navy came close in the 52nd minute with a long strike that hit the cross bar. The close attempt ignited both teams as they began to look for a goal more aggressively. The Raiders then came close in the 79th minute when junior Shane Conlin blasted the ball on net but it was blocked by a Navy player that was able to make a defensive save to keep game scoreless.  
 
Both team picked up their intensity in the final 15 minutes of regulation time with Colgate finding most of the scoring opportunities. The Raiders came extremely close with four minutes left when sophomore Nick Arpey blasted the ball at the goal and it got a slight deflection with a header from senior co-captain Steven Miller as it headed for the right corner of the goal, but it was knocked away by the Mids' goalie to send the game into overtime.
 
In the first overtime period, both teams came out looking for the golden goal to secure the win. Colgate had a few close opportunities in the final four minutes from a series of crosses that sailed across the goal line but nobody could get a touch on them. Navy then found a chance in the final 30 seconds off a free kick but could not capitalize, sending the game into double overtime.
 
Everything was on the line in the final sudden victory period with the Raiders playing for the regular-season title and Navy playing for a spot in the PL Tournament. Miller came close again with a shot in the 104th minute but could not beat the goalkeeper. The game became more physical in the final minutes with the Mids almost finding the back of the net with only three minutes left on the clock, but at the end of 110 minutes of play the teams would have to settle with a 0-0 tie.
 
Junior Grant Reed had two saves in the game while Navy's Max Renaldo had five.
 
“We played great, particularly in the second half,” stated head coach Erik Ronning. “We were very unlucky to not score. The boys are looking forward to competing for a championship in D.C. next weekend.”
 
The Raiders will resume play next weekend in the semifinals of the 2011 Patriot League Tournament in Washington, D.C. As the No. 2 seed, they will play the No. 3 seed Lehigh in the second semifinal of the tournament at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11.