Courtesy of Post University Athletics

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (November 21, 2019) -  Freshman Giorgio Scarpecci picked an absolute perfect time to score his first two goals of his career and junior Sergio Diaz scored a much needed insurance goal as the Post University men's soccer team won its first NCAA tournament game in school history, a 3-2 defeat of No. 8 Millersville in the first round of Super Region 1 on Thursday evening on the campus of Adelphi University.

Post had plenty of opportunities early on in the first half as they dominated possession, but finally broke through as Scarpecci, who had just entered the game for the first time moments before, took a cross from the end line to the center of the box from sophomore Phillimon Bedard-Khalid and gave the Eagles the 1-0 lead in the 40^th minute.

It was Scarpecci's first career goal as an Eagle and couldn't have come at a more important time.

Scarpecci then made his mark in the second half as he charged at Millersville goalkeeper Darian McCauley and blocked a clear, giving him a wide open net to put the ball home and give the Eagles the 2-0 lead in the 68^th minute.

Millersville answered on a header from Matteo Adiletta to make it a 2-1 game in the 80^th minute, but Diaz, the All-CACC First Team and All-East Region member answered just two minutes later, taking a pass from grad student Keshane Bedward, dribbled around multiple defenders and kicked it low and right, just out of the reach of McCauley and into the net to give Post the 3-1 lead.

The goal was needed as Spencer Shortt of Millersville made it a 3-2 game on a strike from 25 yards out in the 89^th minute.

Post will now take on No. 1 seed Adelphi on Saturday at 6 p.m. The No. 9 Eagles look to avenge an earlier 2-1 defeat in their first game of the season. Adelphi had a bye in the first round.

"We came to Adelphi with a purpose. We are no longer happy with just being in the NCAA tournament," head coach Ted Haley said. "We have greater ambitions and goals. This group is fantastic on and off the field and I love working with them each day. Our AD Ronnie Palmer and our entire athletic department has been incredibly positive with their support. Today we made it more difficult than we needed to by hitting the post three times and not taking our chances, but overall we played good football. We are extremely excited to move on and play on Saturday with a chance to play next weekend."

ABOUT THE CACC
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference composed of 14 institutions in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The member institutions are Bloomfield College, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Concordia (N.Y.) College, Dominican (N.Y.) College, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University), Nyack College, Post University of Waterbury, University of the Sciences, and Wilmington University.