Berry Defeats Sewanee 3-2 Sunday at Ford Field

By Matthew D. Stokes
BerryVikings.com Staff Writer

ROME, Ga. – Berry's David Shaw took a pass from Christian Fullbright and delivered the game-winning goal less than six minutes into the first overtime, securing a 3-2 victory for the Vikings over the Sewanee Tigers in a Sunday afternoon affair at Ford Field.

The freshman-freshman connection could not have come at a better time after the visiting team knotted the game up, 2-2, on a Jeremy Abney goal with just 26 seconds remaining in regulation. The Tigers' goal was set up by a Berry foul near its goal.

"It was very demoralizing," Berry head coach Richard Vardy said of the game-tying goal. "We knew from scouting reports that they were dangerous on set plays such as that.
 
"They were down a goal, and they were going to try and push and get more people forward and it resulted in a free kick. They took advantage of their chance. Give them credit."

Shaw also played a role in the Vikings' first score of the game, exactly two minutes into the contest, when he nearly headed in Reid Popple's corner kick.  Shaw's header was saved by Sewanee goalkeeper Conrad Bandoroff, but Steven Weeks was there to head home the deflection, his first goal of the season. Shaw was credited with an assist on the play.

"It wasn't a classic one for the highlight tapes," Vardy said of Weeks' goal. "But at this stage of our season, we'll take any goal that we can get."

Sewanee responded to the early deficit with a goal by Stuart Maxey at the 17:23 mark, assisted by Zack Goodwin. Vardy said his goalkeeper, Andrew Ryndak, did a good job to stop the Tigers' initial attack on the goal at the top of the box but was out of position when the ball was sent back into the box where Maxey waited.

Berry again came roaring out the box in the second half, capitalizing on Ryndak's booming kick from inside his own box that was picked up by Wallingford, who proceeded to make a mad dash to the goal with the ball, finishing the play with his third goal of the season at 45:22.

With the game seemingly in hand with less than a minute remaining, the Tigers struck back at 89:34, as Jeremy Abney tied the match to silence the Berry crowd and eventually send the match into overtime.

The crowd did not stay silent for long, though, as Fullbright assisted on Shaw's tally to end the game at 95:53, sending the Viking fans home happy.

"Very composed; nice goal," Vardy said of Shaw's goal.

Berry outshot Sewanee, 26-9, and also owned the edge in terms of shots on goal, 8-2. Shaw had six shots while Popple had five.

Making his first start of the season, Ryndak made two saves while Bandoroff finished with eight.

Berry will return to action this Tuesday against Reinhardt at 3:30 p.m., at Ford Field.