MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Florida Tech men's soccer team battled SSC foe Lynn in a close contest in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers ultimately came up with the win, finding the game-winner in the second over time.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Florida Tech 2, Lynn 1 2OT
Records: Florida Tech (12-2-4 7-1-2 SSC) | Lynn (10-3-6, 4-2-4 SSC)
Locations: Rick Sottler Field | Melbourne, Fla.

STATS OF THE MATCH: 

• The fighting knights started early with a corner and two shots in the third minute of the game. Kymani King tallied back-to-back shots, with Iker Bastida deflecting the first one and the rebounded shot going wide.
• Teams fought for possession before Tech found their first opportunity. In the 24^th minute, a cross to Fabio Amaral sent him one on one with the keeper, but sent a ground shot straight to the keeper.
• In the 37^th minute, Lynn's Fabio Menzel sent a cross from the left side to the far post, where Luis Kiefer was wide open for the header to put the Fighting Knights on the board.
• Tech looked to tie it up in the 41^st minute when they were awarded a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Jacopo Ghezzi sent one in but Luca Clavero came up with the save.
• At halftime, the Panthers held a 6-4 advantage in shots while Lynn had the edge in corner kicks 3-1. The teams combined for 12 fouls in the first 45 minutes with each team having 12 called against them.
• The Panthers picked up the pressure offensively in the second half, firing off 13 shots.
• Eythor Omarsson sent a ground shot in as Clavero slid for the foot stop to keep Tech off the board in the 52^nd minute.
• Tech tied the game 1-1 on a header from Andrea Pisaneschi in the 62^nd minute. Osvaldo Santana recovered the ball and took it down the right side. He sent a long ball into the box, where a wide-open Pisaneschi got a head on it and sent it over the keeper for the equalizer.
• Four minutes later, a Panthers threatened with a free kick 24 yards out. Joeran Osland sent it to the right post to Hugo Catherine but his header went just wide.
• Lynn found an opportunity in the 65^th minute with a ground shot straight on that found the hands of Iker Bastida.
•  Neither team was able to find the game-winner, sending the match into overtime.
• The only two shots recorded in the first 10 minutes were by Tech.
• Lynn's Henry Haferkorn received his second yellow with 8 seconds left in the first overtime, forcing Lynn to play down a man for the remainder of the contest
• Lynn threatened on a corner kick in the 105^th minute, the ball soared into the box to the head of Ricardo Packer Jr, but Bastida came up big with the stop.
• In the 106^th minute, Ettore Casadei heads home Omarsson's cross for the game-winner.
• Panthers outscored Lynn 22-6 with 11-4 on goal. 
• Iker Bastida posted three saves in the win.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• The Panthers hold an 12-8-2 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament.
• Tech is now 8-30-1 all-time against the Fighting Knights
• This was the second-ever NCAA Tournament meeting between the two teams, with the last one coming in 2019 when Lynn defeated Tech in the Sweet 16.
• Andrea Pisaneschi scored his first career in the win.
• Ettore Casadei netted his ninth goal of the season and fourth game-winner.

UP NEXT: Florida Tech will travel to Gaffney, S.C., to take on West Florida in the quarterfinal of the NCAA Tournament.
 
 
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