POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Vassar clinched a birth to the Liberty League playoffs with a 2-1 victory over Union College on a cold, cloudy Saturday at Gordon Field with a spot in the Liberty League playoffs hanging in the balance. Sophomore forward Tom Weichert scored the game-winning goal with 10 seconds left in the first overtime period.
Union senior striker
Sebastiaan Jansen broke the Union record for goals in a season with 19, surpassing Graham Lombardo's record in 2001. He tied the career record for points with 105 and is tied with Union Hall of Famer Craig Jeffries '75. Jansen is currently two shy of Jeffries career goal total of 45.
The Brewers, now 10-4-2 (4-1-2 Liberty League) will travel to Annandale-on-Hudson to face Bard College in the final Liberty League game of the season on Saturday, October 27 at 2:00 pm. Union, now 11-4 (4-3 Liberty League) will travel to Saratoga to face Skidmore in another tough Liberty League contest. The Dutchmen can still clinch a playoff berth in the Liberty League playoffs with a win at Skidmore.
Both teams created excellent chances throughout the first half. The Brewers nearly broke the deadlock in the 24
th minute, when a free kick from junior defender Evan Seltzer was deflected to Weichert, who turned and struck a low hard shot that Union keeper
Ryan Carter managed to push just wide of the post.
Vassar nearly scored again just five minutes later, when a big throw from senior defender Zander Mrlik was headed towards the net by senior forward Dante Varotsis before swinging wide of the far post.
Despite Vassar's offensive efforts it was Union who struck first in the 59
th minute when Dutchmen forward
Sahr Nyuma played a through ball past the defense to Jansen, who managed to chip the ball over the head of junior goalkeeper Ryan Grimme to send it bouncing into the back of the net.
The Brewers remained focused despite the setback, and their determination paid off in the 70th minute when freshman midfielder Jordan Palmer was awarded a free kick from 30 yards out. Palmer's well-placed kick found the foot of Mrlik, who tapped the ball in from four yards to send the game to overtime.
Vassar nearly ended the game within the opening minutes of overtime, when shots from sophomore midfielder Justin Mitchell and sophomore defender Zachary Nasipak, both coming from Palmer's well-hit corners, forced tough saves from the Union back line. Union however responded with a series of cross and free kicks into the Vassar area kept the game level throughout the first overtime period.
However, with 25 seconds left in the period, Vassar was awarded a free kick from 35 yards out. The Brewers hustled into position while Mitchell lined up to take the kick. With 10 seconds left to play Mitchell perfectly lifted the ball past the mass of defenders to bounce around and find the foot of Weichert, who slammed the ball into the net to end the game in dramatic fashion.
Grimme had six saves in the win for the Brewers, while Carter had 11 saves in the loss for the Dutchmen.
