BROOKVILLE, N.Y. -- Senior midfielder Jonathon Watkin scored with 2.8 seconds left to propel fifth-ranked and top-seeded LIU Post to a 2-1 win versus fourth-seeded Mercy in an ECC championship semifinal on Wednesday.
With his left foot, Watkin fired a shot off the outstretched hand of Mavericks' (11-4-4) sophomore goalkeeper Nick Papas for the game-winner. The play originated off an Eivind Austboe rebound.
Just a minute prior to that goal, freshman forward Michael Ledesma had a golden opportunity to put Mercy in front. As he tried to flick the ball over the head of LIU Post senior netminder Marco Jorgensen, he used every inch of that frame to catch the shot in mid-air.
Jorgensen stopped all five shots on net in the latter 45-minute session to keep the contest tied at 1-1. He ended with seven saves.
In the first half, the Mavericks used just 5:08 to take the early lead. Ledesma finished into the top shelf on a one-timer, off a cross from the near right wing by Ransmond Aboagye.
Nine-plus minutes later, the Pioneers (16-1-2) answered with the equalizer. Austboe struck from point-blank range, on a tic-tac-toe setup with Watkin and sophomore midfielder Per Forgaard.
Both squads attempted 19 shots apiece. LIU Post also owned a 9-2 edge in corner kicks.
