Bellefonte survives a 2OT thriller versus Penns Valley

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: September 6, 2019

Bellefonte 4,Penns Valley 3 (2OT)

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – After two previous late-game thrilling loses against Bald Eagle, the Bellefonte boys soccer team picked up a hard-fought 4-3 2OT victory Thursday night over a tough Penns Valley Rams team.

After three early back-and-forth periods, the Red Raiders got the winning goal from Mintesinot Borst off an assist from Dan Persiko to give the home team the victory.

“It feels great. I’m happy for the guys. They needed this. After a hard game against Bald Eagle the other night we came out and got the lead,” said Bellefonte coach Scott Martz said. “At halftime, I told them that Penns Valley were tied 2-2 against Central and they came out in the second half with four goals in the second half. I told them they are second half team and they are going to come out strong. We were 3-1 and then they came back hard on us and tied it up.”

In the first half, Penns Valley got the first possession but it would be the Red Raiders that would hit the first goal.

Persiko put Bellefonte on the board as he plastered a shot that just got past Rams’ goalie Dristen Wolfe at 30:34.

Both teams took a turn in each other’s back-third for nearly 22 minutes before it would be the Rams time to find the back of the net.

Caleb Narber tied it up as he broke free and snuck a shot past Bellefonte goalie Harrison Herr.

But lass than two-minutes later, the Red Raiders took back the lead when Persiko stood alone against Wolfe for a penalty kick. His kick hit the net, sliding it by a diving Wolfe, making it a 2-1 contest at the intermission.

Entering the second half, it looked as if the Red Raiders put themselves in a good position to win the game in regulation as Harry Horner put his team up 3-1 as he found the corner of the net just two minutes into the second.

But being a second half team, Penns Valley lived up to its reputation as it cut the deficit to one, making it a 3-2 contest.

Thanks to an assist by Aidan Culver, Narber once again placed a shot in the goal.

Still trying to get the game to a stalemate, the Rams continues to push the ball into the Red Raiders’ end.

At 20:32, Penns Valley got the break it was looking for when Michael Johnson picked up a rebound off the Red Raiders post and slapped it in.

“I told them here after the game that I asked you guys to give me everything and that’s what you gave me. You gave me everything you had. I can’t ask for anything else,” said Penns Valley coach Ken Gore. “In the second I told them, we didn’t come this far to lose this game. So we were trying to take that momentum and use that into the overtime period.”

After numerous close calls on both ends, the clock ran out in the second period, sending it to an overtime period.

Things were just as thrilling in the first overtime as the Bellefonte defense survived numerous attacks on the goal. But when the buzzer sounded in the overtime, the game was extended to a second overtime.

With 4:59 to go, Persiko lofted a pass to a blazing Borst and sent it home to capture the 4-3 victory.

PV 1 2 0 0 – 3

BE 2 1 0 1 – 4

Goals

First half

BE – Dan Persiko unassisted, 30:34.

PV – Caleb Narber unassisted, 8:05.

BE – Persiko penalty kick, 6:33.

Second half

BE – Harry Horner unassisted, 35:48.

PV- Narber from Aidan Culver, 32:18.

PV – Michael Johnson unassisted, 20:32.