SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – Sophomore Michael Caccavo scored the golden goal to help the Spring Arbor University men's soccer team defeat Grace College 2-1 in double overtime in the Crossroads League Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon.
The fourth-seeded Cougars (12-4-3, 4-2-3 Crossroads League) advance to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive season where they will meet top-seeded Indiana Wesleyan University.
Sophomore Adam Hunt put SAU on top early with a goal in the 16th minute. Freshman Kevin Veeder got it started with a cross to the back post to junior Stevenson Storm, who headed it back in front of the goal to Hunt, and Hunt would tap it in for the easy finish.
The Cougars would control possession for a majority of the half, but Grace (9-7-1, 4-4-1 Crossroads League) would manage to keep the deficit at one heading into halftime.
The Lancers found the equalizer just over 11 minutes into the second period. After a long free kick was played into the 18, GC's Ben Cahill flicked a pass over the Cougar defense and Kyle Hamlin would slip a shot past goalkeeper Billy Irvine to the near post and level the score.
In the 76th minute, it looked like Spring Arbor tallied the go-ahead goal, but it would be called off for a foul, and the teams would head to overtime deadlocked at 1-1.
After a scoreless first overtime period, in the 104th minute, freshman Jake Sterling sent a free kick from the right wing to the back post, where Caccavo headed it off the post and in to give the Cougars their second straight overtime victory.
The Cougars held a drastic advantage in shots, recording 19 compared to seven by Grace, including a 10-4 edge in shots on target.
Spring Arbor will travel to Marion, Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 8 to face No. 7 Indiana Wesleyan (16-1, 9-0 Crossroads League).
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