BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College men's soccer team dominated the first 70 minutes of its regular season finale against Waynesburg on Wednesday night on Reeves Field, holding a comfortable 2-0 lead with Waynesburg unable to generate any offense. However, things turned quickly. The Yellow Jackets scored three goals over a 16-minute stretch to grab a late lead before a goal in the final minute allowed Geneva to escape with a 3-3 draw. Geneva, which had already locked up the top seed for the upcoming Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) playoffs, finishes the regular season 10-4-4 overall, 7-0-3 in the PAC.
Both teams entered the game already having locked up a spot in the playoffs. Geneva had nothing to play for, while Waynesburg was playing for the ability to host a quarterfinal matchup. The Golden Tornadoes were already assured of a first-round bye and hosting rights throughout the PAC playoffs.
Geneva came out dominating the game, with multiple chances to get on the board. Junior Dominic Sambuco finally converted one of those chances after a shot from sophomore Wil Dunda bounced off the post in the 23rd minute, with the rebound going straight to Sambuco who tapped the ball into an open net. The Golden Tornadoes had several more good chances to add to their lead over the final 20 minutes of the half, but errant shots combined with some strong work from Waynesburg goalie Michael Francus kept the Geneva lead at 1-0 at the break, despite a 15-4 Geneva edge in shots.
Geneva's dominant play continued into the second half. The Golden Tornadoes finally converted another chance when Dunda's corner kick in the 55th minute hit the crossbar and deflected right to junior Darren Main. Main headed the ball straight into the net off the rebound to make it 2-0.
The game seemed comfortably in Geneva's hand heading into the final 20 minutes before Waynesburg suddenly came alive. Matthew Serrano's shot from 25 yards away off a Geneva clearance attempt pinballed off a couple bodies in the box on its way into the net, giving junior goalkeeper Evan Shale no shot to make the save, pulling Waynesburg within 2-1.
In the 84th minute, Vincent Palmeri found himself open in the box on a cross and headed the ball into the net to pull the Yellow Jackets level, and two minutes later a similar cross off a corner kick found the head of an unmarked Braden Ebenshade in the middle of the box to give Waynesburg a stunning 3-2 lead despite Geneva's dominant control for most of the game.
Geneva was able to regroup and find an equalizer late, though. Sambuco beat his man and made a dribbling run into the box in the final minute of the game, and he was clipped from behind giving the Golden Tornadoes a penalty kick. Dunda converted the kick to salvage a 3-3 draw.
Geneva finished with a 27-12 edge in shots that midway through the second half was 22-6. The Golden Tornadoes also had an 11-3 advantage in corner kicks.
The draw for Waynesburg was big, securing the Yellow Jackets a first round game on Saturday as the No. 4 seed, taking on No. 5 seed Chatham. Geneva will host the winner of that match in the PAC Semifinals on Wednesday, meaning the Golden Tornadoes may face this Waynesburg squad again in a week.
Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).
