CLEVELAND, Ohio – It has been a rough start to the season for the Geneva College men's soccer team.  Despite some periods of strong play on Friday night, Geneva fell again at Case Western Reserve University, this time in excruciating fashion, dropping a 4-3 double overtime decision.  Case Western improved to 2-1 on the season, while Geneva fell to 0-3-1.

Case Western got on the board first in the 17^th minute when Zachary Senft picked off a Geneva clearance and scored from 25 yards out to put the Spartans up 1-0.  That's where the score stayed going into halftime.

Geneva tied things up in the 53^rd minute when senior Liam O'Halloran's pass found freshman Alex Yoder in behind the defense, and Yoder hit the back of the net to knot the score back up.  Fourteen minutes later, though, Case Western again went ahead when Garrett Winter hit a floating ball from 30 yards out that was intended to be a cross, but it caught senior goalkeeper Luke Nolan off guard and despite an all-out dive, the ball found its way past the goalkeeper and into the top corner of the goal to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.

Despite what could have been a deflating goal, Geneva responded just four minutes later in the 71^st minute when another O'Halloran cross led to a goal, this time finding sophomore Kevin Pasho free on the back side of the box, and Pasho finished with authority to tie the score at 2-2.

The back and forth affair continued, though, when just four minutes later Seldon Magruder beat Nolan to a cross and headed the ball into the back of the net to give the Spartans the lead again.  Yet once again, Geneva showed resolve when freshman Cole Sauer collected a loose ball in the box and tied the game back up with a goal in the 82^nd minute.  Both teams had opportunities late, but the game ended regulation tied at 3-3.

Neither team could score in the first ten-minute overtime.  Then with just two minutes remaining in double overtime, Winter collected a ball 25 yards out and turned and hit a dipping ball that just dropped into the small window between Nolan's outstretch arm and the underneath side of the crossbar, sending Geneva to a heartbreaking defeat.

Despite the four goals, Nolan had several big stops for the Golden Tornadoes, saving 11 of the 15 shots on goal he faced.  While Geneva managed only three shots on goal, it made each one count, and the offense showed signs it might be coming out of its early season slump.

"I'm extremely proud of how hard the boys played tonight," Head Coach Gary Dunda said.  "They never blinked and stood tall together.  Case Western is a very good team that is well coached.  Brighter days are ahead for my group."

Geneva will try to build upon some positive stretches of play against Case Western when it returns back home to play Penn State Behrend next Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.


Geneva College is a Christ-centered academic community that provides a comprehensive education to equip students for faithful and fruitful service to God and neighbor. Offering over 80 traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs, and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality. U.S. News & World Report ranks Geneva as a Top Three Best Value Regional University with one of the Top 100 engineering programs in the nation. Adhering to the truth of Scripture, a Geneva education is grounded in God's Word as well as in a core curriculum designed to prepare students vocationally to think, write and communicate well in today's world.