A penalty kick goal with 29.9 seconds left in the game gave the Panthers men's soccer team a 2-1 win over Fulton-Montgomery Community College Thursday. After a rough stretch of games earlier in the season, the Panthers have now two of the last three to improve to 3-5 (3-5 in Region 3) on the year. Fulton-Montgomery drops to 3-4 (3-3 in Region 3).
Panthers goalkeeper Cillian Lynch (Dublin, Ireland/St. Vincents School) had a fantastic game, including making a save on a penalty kick late in the first half to keep the game scoreless after the first 45 minutes. The entire defense continued to play well into the second half, and as the game entered the 61st minute of play, the offense connected for the game's first score. After the defense turned away a Fulton-Montgomery attempt, the ball worked its way past midfield, where Jahmier Klee (Elmira/Elmira H.S.) played it from the right side ahead to Jay Pearson (Penicuik, Scotland/Musselburgh). Pearson took the ball in stride and beat the keeper to put the Panthers on the board. The lead held for just five minutes, as Fulton-Montgomery answered with a score in the 66the minute, knotting the score at 1-1. As the clocked ticked down the game got more physical, with each team picking up two yellow cards over a 23-minute stretch of action. In the final minute, the Panthers made a push that saw Max Hunt (Suffolk, England/Mildenhall College Academy) with the ball in the box. As he raced past the defense, the last defender grabbed and pulled his shirt in an effort to slow him down, drawing a whistle and a penalty kick with 29.9 seconds left. Hunt calmly stepped up and buried the shot, putting the Panthers back in front. The final second of the game saw another yellow card handed out, and despite the urgency for Fulton-Montgomery, no real chance on goal.
Lynch finished the game with 11 saves and his first win of the season.
Looking ahead
The Panthers play at Jefferson Community College Sunday.