(Valhalla, NY) - Sophomore Jose Tovar (Yonkers, NY/Riverside HS) scored his third goal of the 2019 season, and fellow sophomore Guilherme Griza (Novo Hamburgo-RS (Brazil) Colegio Marista Pio XII) made 11 saves, but the Westchester Community College Men's Soccer team lost a 2-1 overtime heartbreaker to Borough of Manhattan Community College on Saturday at Barrett Field. With the loss, the Vikings fall to 7-3 for the 2019 season, and 6-3 in NJCAA Region XV play. The loss also drops the Vikings into fifth place in the NJCAA Region XV play heading into the final week of the regular season.

It was the third consecutive game over the last two seasons that Westchester CC and BMCC (7-2-1, 6-2-1 Region XV) have played a one-goal thriller. Ironically, Westchester fell 2-1 to the Panthers one year ago during the regular season before dispatching BMCC from the NJCAA Region XV Quarterfinals in penalty kicks.

This time around, it was much of the same for this rivalry as each team had their fair share of chances, but most of the game was played in the midfield area.

After a scoreless first half that featured mutiple Griza saves from the door-step, BMCC seemed to break the game open as a shot from point blank range appeared to aim for an open net, but was stopped by Viking freshman Kelvin Espino (Dobbs Ferry, NY/Dobbs Ferry HS) before it crossed the goal-line to keep the Panthers off of the board. BMCC finally struck first at 53:38 on a picture-perfect corner kick goal to make it 1-0.

However, the lead was short-lived. At 62:41, Viking freshman Jason Almedia Da Cruz (Yonkers, NY Escola Secundaria Olavo Moniz (Cape Verde) was attempting a scoring opportunity, but was pulled down in the scoring box, drawing a penalty kick. The kick was converted by Tovar, who scored huge goals during two games this week, and the game was tied 1-1.

From there, both teams desperately attempted to score the winning goal, but extra time was required. At 97:55, a BMCC player appeared to have a break-away opportunity, but was pulled down in the scoring box, leading to a penalty kick opportunity. The kick was converted, and BMCC notched a huge Region XV victory.
 

The loss marked the first time this season that Westchester CC fell at home.

BMCC took 27 shots - including three in overtime - compared to 14 for Westchester, who took two overtime shots. The Panthers also had eight corner kick opportunities, compared to three by Westchester.

The Vikings enter the final week of the 2019 regular season with two Mid-Hudson Conference games, needing one win to clinch a berth in the Mid-Hudson Conference Championship Game. If Westchester wins boths games, they will host the championship tilt on Oct. 15. The action begins on Tuesday, Oct. 8 when Westchester travels to Rockland Community College for a 4:00 p.m. game that will be the 2019 Region XV finale for the Vikings.