Spicer's OT goal lifts Princeton past Adelphi

With the men's soccer game score in a goose-egg tie and with regulation time winding down, Princeton senior forward and captain Darren Spicer rattled off a shot toward the opposing goal. Adelphi goalkeeper Michael Hurley sent the game into overtime by making the save. Spicer would not be denied twice, however — his second opportunity less than eight minutes into the extra period sailed through to the back of the net for the dramatic game winner.

With the 1-0 overtime victory, Princeton (3-3-0 overall) brought its record up to .500 as it took down Adelphi (1-6-1) in Garden City, N.Y. The Tigers have yet to lose a match on the road this season, in contrast with the Panthers, who have yet to win a game away from home. Adelphi is winless since Sept. 1 and has not won against Princeton in eight years.

Saturday's golden goal came off a rebound from a cross by senior midfielder Ben Young 7:44 into the overtime period. Spicer has excelled in recent games, building on a two-goal performance in a shutout win against Drexel last week. The game winner at Adelphi moves Spicer into 10th place on the all-time scoring list at Princeton with 23 career goals. The 2004 recipient of the Ivy League Player of the Year Award, Spicer notched his fourth goal of the season.

Spicer was not the only Tiger pressuring the Panthers' goal. Though unable to put a ball in the back of the net, sophomore forward Kyle McHugh managed four shots against Adelphi, all of which came in the first half. McHugh's first shot, 12 minutes into the game, was saved by Hurley. Sixteen minutes later, McHugh pulled off another shot that fell to the right of the goal. Within a three-minute span close to the end of the half, McHugh got off two more solid shots, but both balls drifted wide of the net.

Though the match turned out to be a defensive struggle, the Panthers were not without opportunities to win the match before overtime. The Panthers' first shot came midway through the first half when Michael O'Hara missed his target, sending the ball wide left. Oliver Skelding had a chance to take the game for Adelphi, but he sent the ball flying over the top of the goal. Frank Cascio also managed to put his foot on the ball in the waning minutes of regulation, but his shot missed wide right.

The Tigers' senior goalkeeper Bobby Guelich kept the ball out of the net for his second consecutive shutout performance. Guelich recorded two saves, both on headers from the Panthers' Dieudonne Nonga and Rob Philippou.

The low-scoring match was littered with penalties by both sides. Three players were given yellow cards within a span of 20 seconds late in the second half as each team racked up 19 fouls apiece.

Having found success on the road, the one thing the Tigers lack is a home victory. After coming up winless in the Princeton Invitational Tournament, Princeton has six opportunities left this season to win for the home crowd. The next game is the Tigers' first opportunity to do so in an instate grudge match against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights will be looking to end Princeton's two-game win streak and to rebound from a loss to No. 18 Seton Hall, a team that Princeton will face in South Orange in October.