Pirates Drop OT Heartbreaker to Xavier

Saturday, October 27

South Orange, N.J.

6 p.m.

Seton Hall University

6-6-2, 2-5-1BE

Xavier

5-7-5, 3-4-1BE

OT 1

Xavier

Seton Hall

10/27/2018 9:54:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score BOX (PDF)

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Seton Hall men's soccer team (6-6-2, 2-5-1 BIG EAST) dropped a heartbreaker in overtime to Xavier (5-7-5, 3-4-1 BIG EAST) by a score of 2-1 on a cold and rainy night on Saturday at Owen T. Carroll Field. With the setback and other results around the league, the Pirates have been eliminated from contention for the BIG EAST Tournament.

CJ Tibbling (Järna, Sweden) scored his team-best sixth goal of the season in the 38^th minute to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead, an advantage they held until the final minutes of regulation. In the 83^rd minute, a foul was called in the box during a Xavier free kick which led to an equalizing penalty kick conversion.

Turning Point
In the dying seconds of regulation, Carlton McKenzie (Birmingham, England) forced a turnover deep in the Seton Hall end and began a ferocious counter run up the left flank. With less than 20 seconds remaining, McKenzie fed a picture-perfect cross across the box to an awaiting Tibbling. The freshman gathered for a moment and fired a cross-box shot that missed the far post by mere inches before going out of play to send the contest to overtime.

Tibbling had another golden look during the first period of extra time when he fought off a harassing defender at the left edge of the box and curled a shot towards the right post, but again it missed just wide. Minutes later in the 97^th minute Xavier was able to find a winner with a lobbed header from Simen Hestnes that snuck over the outstretched arms of an on-rushing Andreas Nota.

Goals
38^th – SHU – Tibbling (6) penalty kick
83^rd – XU – Samson Sergi (5) penalty kick
97^th – XU – Hestnes (8) lobbed header off Jacob Goodall cross

Inside The Numbers

Xavier held a 14-9 edge in total shots and 5-3 advantage in shots on goal
The Musketeers also generated seven corners versus three for the Pirates
Tibbling and XU's Tomek Pauer tied for the game-high with five shots apiece
Nota finished with three saves

News and Notes

The Pirates fall to 1-5-0 all-time against Xavier, falling in overtime the last two seasons
After winning the season opener in extra time, SHU is 0-2-1 in its last three overtime matches
Tibbling's goal was team-high sixth of the season and his fourth in league play
Prior to the match, the Pirates honored their 14-member senior class

What's Ahead
The Hall will conclude the regular season with a road match at Villanova on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 3 p.m.