When 80 minutes of regulation and two overtime periods were not enough, the Edwardsburg soccer team suffered a 2-1 loss to Berrien Springs in a shootout Wednesday.

After a hard fought first half that ended with both teams trading goals, a defensive battle that lasted throughout the next half and two overtime periods, and a shootout that required a rare sixth attempt from each team, the Eddies’ soccer team lost the shootout 4-3 on penalty kicks.

The marathon loss was especially rough on the Edwardsburg players and fans because the game represented the final time that the Eddies’ 11 seniors would ever play a game on their home field.

Despite being the aggressors for a large portion of the match and having a significant edge in the shots on goal category, the Eddies (7-4-1) just couldn’t seem to get the goal they needed to send the seniors out on a win.

In the 27th minute, Senior Lukas Nylund put Edwardsburg ahead 1-0 when he slid one past Shamrock keeper Christian Haack. However, the lead would not stand through the end of the half as Berrien Springs’ forward Giovanni Rocha capitalized on an Eddies’ mistake and knotted the game at 1-1 with just 13 seconds left in the half.

Aside from a couple shots here and there, neither team would give the other team’s offense much room to work throughout the remainder of the match, which set up the shootout scenario.

Ruben Zapata, Fernano Medrano and Adrian Villobos all scored on their penalty kicks for the Shamrocks, while Danny Ferenzi, Josh Wyman and Ben Getz scored for the Eddies in the shootout.

After a brilliant save by Haack, Luis Anchondo put one past diving Edwardsburg goalie Patrick Harvey which sent the Shamrocks and their fans into a frenzied celebration and left the Eddies’ players and large crowd in stunned silence.

There was however one person on the Edwardsburg side who didn’t seem shocked by the outcome —Eddies’ coach Sean Jesse.

“We haven’t practiced well for really a week or two and I think this was coming,” he said. “We also don’t hit PK’s very well. When it comes to that, we struggle a little bit.”

When asked about his thoughts on the seniors ending their careers at home with a loss, the coach was candid about what had happened in the game and hopeful that both the seniors and the rest of the team could learn from the situation.

“They (seniors) set the tone at practice and if it’s weak there, it’s on them,” said Jesse. “But they’re a strong group and they work hard. They know we have to play better and I think after this the motivation is there. The fire has been lit.”

The Eddies will seek to bounce back on Monday when they travel to Dowagiac to play the Chieftains at 5 p.m.

 

Berrien Springs… 2

Edwardsburg… 1

Halftime score

Berrien Springs 1, Edwardsburg 1

 

Berrien Springs Goal

Giovanni Rocha 40th minute

 

Edwardsburg goal

Lukas Nylund 27th minute

 

Berrien Springs shootout goals

Ruben Zapata

Fernano Medrano

Adrian Villobos

Luis Anchondo

 

Edwardsburg shootout goals

Danny Ferenzi

Josh Wyman

Ben Getz

 

Shots on goal

Edwardsburg 11

Berrien Springs 5