Courtesy of Post University Athletics

Erie, Pa. (December 5, 2019) – The 2019 Post University men's soccer team's historic season came to an end on Thursday in a 2-1 doubles overtime loss to Franklin Pierce in the Sweet Sixteen at Gannon University.

With 29 seconds remaining, a questionable foul and red card  on senior Eden Gendler in the 18-yard box gave the Ravens a penalty kick which Javier Garcia Borras converted to give the Ravens the victory.

After Yannik Felber got the fourth-seeded Ravens on the board in the 13^th minute, the Eagles responded just three minutes later as Gendler scored his first goal of the season taking a rebound off a shot from Matteo Guagliardo to put it past Ravens goalkeeper, Clay Thomas.

The Eagles nearly converted for a goal in the first overtime, but a header from freshman Felix Hjertqvist off of a corner went just wide left with just seconds remaning.

Sophomore David Mollenthial finished with five saves on the day including a big stop in the 74^th minute to preserve the tie at the time.

The ninth-seeded Eagles outshot the Ravens, 17-12 and had seven corner kicks to just six for Franklin Pierce.

"First of all I am very proud of my guys and Post University," coach Ted Haley said. "We were fantastic in this NCAA run. We deserve better from the officials and their judgment with 29 seconds left in a very good match. The red card and penalty kick is extremely unwarranted and disappointing.   The match should have been decided by penalties. It is tough to explain to my seniors. We will be back."

The loss ends a historic season for the Eagles, who advanced to their first ever Sweet 16 after taking down No. 8 Millersville, 3-2 and No. 1 Adelphi, 1-0 in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

Post and head coach Ted Haley also took home the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) title for the second straight year, defeating Georgian Court, 1-0.

The Eagles had four players make All-CACC teams as juniors Sergio Diaz and Alvaro Sanchez and grad student Andrea Baleotto made the first team and Mollenthial made the second team. Diaz was also named to the All-East Region first team and Sanchez was named to the second team.

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.