Teams were moments away from shaking hands for a draw, but Union College broke the deadlock with a golden goal with 90 seconds left in the second overtime period to send the Milligan College men’s soccer team to a 2-1 loss at Anglin Field Wednesday.
The loss was Milligan’s first Appalachian Athletic Conference setback of the season and dropped the Buffs to 1-1 in the AAC after having taken down the reigning AAC champion earlier this week. Milligan’s only goal of the night came on an own goal less than four minutes into the match.
Each of the first two goals of the game, in fact, came on the opposing team’s mistakes. Milligan broke onto the scoreboard early with an own goal before Union countered with a penalty kick 30 minutes later following a Milligan foul in the box. The deciding moment of the match came over 70 minutes after that, this time on a counterattack.
Milligan was outshot in the match 17-13, including 8-4 on shots on goal. Inaki Moreno led the Buffs with four shots taken, followed by Roberto Fernandez Garrido who took three. Each was close to finding the back of the net during added time. Moreno narrowly missed one of his shot attempts early in the first overtime before Union goalkeeper Filipe Barateiro made a diving stop to prevent another from crossing the goal line. Garrido had several chances of his own, including a miss wide from close range midway through the second overtime period.
Milligan goalkeeper Jared Whittenbarger made six saves. Barateiro made four.
Up next, Milligan heads to Reinhardt, last year’s AAC tournament champion, Saturday for a 5 p.m. match. The Buffaloes will be home next Wednesday, Sept. 25, for Truett McConnell.
