NEW CASTLE — It may have been Nicky Carrell’s birthday, but the Saint Mark’s freshman was the one doing the giving. His goal four minutes into overtime lifted the Spartans to a 2-1 win at William Penn on Oct. 19.
After 80 physical minutes that included four players receiving yellow cards, the game was tied at a goal each. The Colonials had been in control most of the game, but as the second half progressed, the Spartans evened that out somewhat. That continued into overtime.
Saint Mark’s had a free kick early in the extra session, but nothing came of it. Shortly thereafter, they regained possession and went on the attack. Matt Ziomek sent a through ball into the left side of the box, where Carrell took over. His shot deflected of an arm of Penn goalkeeper Brian Rios-Saldivar and bounced into the net, making it a very happy birthday, indeed.
It brought an end to an entertaining contest. The Spartans took the lead in the 21st minute when Angelo Sisofo took a pass from Ziomek and dribbled into the box. Rios-Saldivar came out to challenge Sisofo, whose shot got past the keeper and into the back of the net as Sisofo tripped over Rios-Saldivar.
Spartans goalkeeper Sean Lenderman was busy throughout. He made a jumping save before Sisofo’s goal and another a few minutes after. A William Penn shot from a sharp angle went just wide. On a corner kick, the ball was headed over the net. Penn’s Bill Wilson shook two defenders and sent a shot inches wide of the right post.
Wilson knotted the score in the 36th. He took a pass from Nicholas Perez, deked around a defender and sent the shot low to Lenderman’s right. That was it for the scoring until overtime, but not for a lack of opportunities.
In the final minutes of the first half, the Colonials had a shot hit the crossbar, and a goal on the rebound was waved off by the officials. Lenderman made a diving save before the halftime whistle.
The pressure continued into the second half. A Spartans defender deflected an early shot over the end line. Lenderman made another save, and off a Colonials free kick, the keeper made a stop. After that, play evened out.
The Spartans’ best chance to score in the second half came when a goal kick bounced over a defender, leaving Sisofo an opportunity. His shot missed left by a whisker.
There were two more impressive saves before the overtime. Davinson Ariza of William Penn’s header was stopped by a diving Lenderman, and Rios-Saldivar punched a left-footed blast by Ziomek over the crossbar.
The Colonials finished with an 11-6 shot advantage and three corner kicks to one for the Spartans. Rios-Saldivar had four saves. William Penn (7-5-1) travel to Hodgson on Thursday for a 4 p.m. start.
Lenderman was credited with eight saves. The Spartans improved to 7-4 and battle St. Elizabeth on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa., the home of the Philadelphia Union.
