PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Sophomore Brian Miller scored the eventual game-winning goal late in the first overtime to propel the Johnson & Wales (RI) University men's soccer team to a 2-1 double OT in over Emmanuel (MA) College Wednesday night in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Semifinal action at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex.
Senior Esteban Osorio also scored for the Wildcats (15-1-3), who advance to the GNAC Finals for the second time in three season and sixth time under head coach David Kulik. No. 2 seed JWU will host No. 4 Saint Joseph (CT), who upset top-seeded St. Joseph's (ME) 2-0 in Standish, Maine earlier in the day. The Wildcats are seeking their fifth GNAC Championship under Kulik, having previously won the conference crown in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2019.
With time winding down in the first extra session, senior Alexander Pane – a member of the 2019 GNAC Championship squad – sent a corner kick from the far left corner of the field into the box. The ball darted through a maze of student-athletes before Miller's header inside the left post set off a furious celebration at the SMAC. The Saints (7-5-7) had a pair of shots in the second OT, one of which was stopped by senior goalkeeper Jacob Friedman, who finished with seven saves.
Osorio opened the scoring at 10:37 when he kicked a loose ball near the top of the box and netted his second goal of the season. Less than 10 minutes later, Emmanuel knotted the score at one on Pedro Andres-Vasquez' third marker of 2022.
The Wildcats outshot their visitors from Boston 5-3 in overtime and closed the match with a 20-16 edge.
