Keeper Andreas Nota scores game-winning Penalty Kick in Overtime Shootout- Pirates Advance to NCAA Quarterfinals

Hall SportsAshley Stepper

When a team is having a historic season and is making it closer to a national title than it has in 30 years, coaches usually don’t let the players make the calls, especially when said historic season is on the line. Yet, that is exactly what Andreas Lindberg let Andreas Nota do. After making a save against Virginia Tech in their tied 7-7 overtime shootout, the senior keeper called his own number to the line, and scored the game-winning penalty kick that ended the game.

The Hall hasn’t seen the quarterfinals of any NCAA tournament since 1991 with its basketball team, but that will change Monday evening. It has been a long, but exciting road for the Pirates to get to this point, but Lindberg’s squad isn’t ready for the road to end. Their outstanding offense and resiliency have proven to be major assets in the team’s success, and in more than one occasion the Pirates have clawed back to equalize and eventually win games.

Despite the score, Seton Hall outshined the Virginia Tech Hokies offensively Thursday night. With the Pirates having a 24-9 advantage in shots and 6-1 lead in corner kicks, one wouldn’t have expected the game to come down to a shootout.

The Hokies capitalized early in the game to get themselves on the scoreboard first. A Nick Blacklock goal assisted by Jacob Labovitz in the first 14 minutes of play was what the Hokies thought would set the tone for the rest of the game. Yet, the scrappy and talented Pirates came through to end the half with their equalizer, scored by Maurice Williams who headed it in off a James Boote free kick, with just 26 seconds left.

In the second half the Hokies tried to retake the game, with the same duo scoring at the 56 minute mark. They held onto that lead for a bit despite playing a man down for the final 28 minutes. Andrea Borg finally found the back of the net off a Boote corner kick, to equalize the game with under 10 remaining.

The stalemate would continue for the remainder of regulation, forcing the game into overtime. After a period of overtime and the score still tied at 2 a piece, the game headed into penalty kicks.

In a back and forth frenzy of penalty kicks, Johannes Pex, CJ Tibbling, Boote, Borg and Eden O’Leary all contributed for the Pirates having the teams tied yet again at 6-6. In the seventh round, Nota made a save to keep the Pirates in the game and their season alive. Following that, Lindberg sent freshman Mans Saebbo to take the next kick. It was then that Nota called his own number, dismissing Saebbo and putting the entire game and season on the line. With poise Nota deposited the ball right to the top of the net, just out of reach of the keeper.

 

Now, the No. 6 Pirates take on the No. 3 Indiana Hoosiers on Monday at 5 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary NC. This matchup is the same one that occurred in 1988, where the Hoosiers defeated the Pirates in the quarterfinals and went on to win the rest of the tournament.