LAKELAND, Fla. (September 3, 2018) – The Webber International University men's soccer team traveled to Lakeland, Florida, to play away from Warrior field for the first time during the 2018 season, and the Warriors came away with a 3-2 overtime win over Middle Georgia State University on Monday in a neutral match at Southeastern University.

The heroics came with only 37 seconds left in the first overtime session off the leg of Mateo Sassoni, a 5-foot-6 freshman from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The chip shot over the head of the Knights' goalkeeper was his second goal of the season after also scoring against Georgia Southwestern State University two days earlier on Saturday, September 1.

It was also the second win of the season for Webber (2-0-1) and was the second straight overtime match for the Warriors. It was the first overtime win for the Warriors since October 19, 2015, against Florida College, another 3-2 decision. MGSU fell to 0-4-1 with losses to SCAD Savannah and Southeastern on its resume as well.

Earlier in the match, Webber held a 2-0 lead as Baxter Smith scored for the third straight match, finding the back of the net in the 23rd minute, and then in the 63rd minute, junior Ervin Ikanovic netted his first goal as a Warrior.

However, the Warriors were outshot 14-5 in the second half as MGSU mounted its comeback and scored twice within the final six minutes of regulation, seemingly grabbing all of the momentum. The first goal for the Knights came on a rebound off a missed penalty attempt.

Back-to-back saves by Thomas Debladis in the final two minutes then sent the match into overtime as another save by Debladis, followed by missed shot attempts by Bryan Meija in the 98th minute, Ikanovic in the 101st minute and Roman Nielavitzky in the 104th minute set up the match winner by Sassoni.

In all, Debladis finished with a very impressive 13 saves while 10 Warriors fired at least one shot attempt and eight had at least one attempt on goal. Smith and David Henderson both finished with two shots on target.

"The boys played well today, and we are starting to play some really nice soccer," stated Head Men's Soccer Coach Neil Cockburn. "Being up 2-0 80 minutes in, I could see the boys starting to fade, and that three games in five days stretch was starting to hit them. However, the boys never gave up the fight and went into their second straight overtime match without fear, and this time we came out with the win as we deserved."

Next up, Webber will play its first two true road matches of the season, beginning with Trinity Baptist College at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 8, and concluding with rival Warner University at 6 p.m. one week later on Saturday, September 15, in Lake Wales, Florida.