Box Score PURCHASE, N.Y. – Senior Marco Blasetti (Yonkers, N.Y./Rye Country Day) connected on header in the eighth minute of the first overtime period to send the Manhattanville men's soccer team past the Misericordia Cougars on Saturday afternoon on GoValiants.com Field. With the win the Valiants clinch their second straight top seed in the upcoming Freedom Conference Tournament to begin on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Prior to the game the men's soccer program honored their seven seniors; included were Blasetti, Edmond Addison (Accra, Ghana/Lincoln (N.Y.)), Moshee Kelyana (Scarborough, Ontario/Brebeuf College), Erick Olazabal (Milton, Ontario/Bishop Reding), Eros Olazabal (Milton, Ontario/Bishop Reding), Sebastian Siring (Gothenburg, Sweden/Katrinelundsgymnasiet) and Zack Weidner (Glens Falls, N.Y./Glens Falls). The group combined for a 45-21-7 record in their careers thus far, while making the conference tournament in three of their four seasons and one NCAA berth in 2011.
 
In the game on the field the Valiants had a quick opportunity to score as [Eros] Olazabal took a shot that was stopped by a diving Billy Sopko, who was in goal for the Cougars. Neither side had much in terms of offense through the majority of the first half as the teams went into halftime with no goals on the board.
 
The second half was similar in the first as [Eros] Olazabal had one of Manhattanville's best chances in the 73rd minute that again was stopped by a diving Sopko. Just over a minute later the momentum shifted in a huge favor for the Valiants as Misericordia's TJ Shaeffer was issued questionable red card to allow Manhattanville to play with a man advantage through the remainder of the contest.
 
With the momentum, Manhattanville rolled off six shots to the Cougars' one through the final 15 minutes of regulation, but neither side was able to rattle the back of the net, sending the game to overtime.
 
In the overtime session the Valiants had three corner kick opportunities in a in less than a three minute span, the third taken by [Erick] Olazabal. Off the corner he passed it to his twin brother, who then brought away from the corner and sent a long cross towards the far post. The ball found its way to the head of Blasetti who netted home the game-winner and give the Valiants the thrilling overtime victory.
 
“We showed great resilience today. Misericordia is a battle-hardened team and we were able to match them in terms of our emotion and intensity,” said men's soccer coach Gregg Miller in a post-game interview. “It was a fitting senior day for a group of guys, who have performed so well for this college over the last four years.”
 
With the win the Valiants clinch the top seed and will host fourth-seeded FDU-Florham on Tuesday afternoon at a time to be announced. “It's a very fast turnaround into what will be a very challenging semifinal matchup,” Miller added. “We have to continue to show the same type of mental toughness that we showed today to prepare ourselves for Tuesday.”
 
Final stat totals saw the Valiants lead in shots by a 20-10 margin, and shots on goal by a 7-0 differential. Manhattanville also led in corner kicks with an 8-6 advantage.
 
In goal freshman Steve Singson (Deer Park, N.Y./St. Anthony's) did not pick up a save as he earned the shutout victory to improve to 6-3-4 on the season. While on the opposite side of the pitch Sopko picked up six saves while allowing the one goal in overtime as he suffers his first loss of the season against five wins and a tie.
Manhattanville (8-6-4, 5-1-1 Freedom) will next host the aforementioned FDU-Florham Devils on Tuesday at a time still to be determined in the #1 seed vs. #4 seed matchup. Misericordia (11-6-2, 5-1-1 Freedom) fall to the second seed and will host third seed King's also on Tuesday, once again at a time to be determined.