Babson Park, FL – In a thrilling comeback effort, Webber International University edged out the University of the Cumberlands 10-9, sealing the victory with a dramatic overtime goal. The matchup featured a strong early performance from Cumberlands, a furious second-half rally by WIU, and a nail-biting finish that ended with Nick Sheaffer's game-winner in extra time.
Cumberlands wasted no time setting the tempo, striking first just 42 seconds into the game with a goal from Maalek Wilson. They continued their momentum as Evan Barton added another goal at 12:04, assisted by Wilson, giving UTCK a 2-0 lead.
WIU struggled to find their offensive rhythm early on, missing multiple shots and committing turnovers. Cumberlands extended its lead further at 6:42, with Barton scoring his second of the game, forcing WIU to take a timeout down 3-0.
Finally, WIU broke through at 6:14, when Nick Sheaffer found the back of the net off an assist from Jeremiah Loo, cutting the deficit to 3-1. However, Cumberlands responded quickly, regaining a three-goal advantage with a goal by Caden Abbott at 2:55, making it 4-1 heading into the break.
WIU came out with renewed energy in the second period. Sheaffer scored again at 12:04, narrowing the gap to 4-2. The Warriors then went on a scoring surge midway through the quarter, with Joshua Colon-Prinzo (8:59), Loo (8:56), and Sheaffer (8:54) scoring back-to-back-to-back goals in a span of just 5 seconds, flipping the game from 4-3 down to a 5-4 lead in favor of WIU.
Cumberlands quickly countered, tying the game at 5-5 with a goal by Dennis Smith (8:03). The remainder of the quarter saw several saves from WIU's goalie Luke Secreti, but Evan Barton struck again for Cumberlands at 0:28, giving them a 6-5 lead heading into halftime.
Cumberlands extended their lead early in the second half, with Nick Kava scoring at 11:57, making it 7-5. WIU, however, capitalized on a man-up opportunity, with Loo scoring his second goal (8:56) off a Philip Scopano assist, bringing the score to 7-6.
But once again, Cumberlands found a quick response, as Barton completed his hat trick (7:46), pushing Cumberlands ahead 8-6. WIU continued to push forward, getting another man-up goal at 3:33 from Daniel McClure, cutting the lead to 8-7 before the quarter ended.
WIU kept fighting in the final frame, with Bentley King scoring at 9:44, bringing the Warriors within one at 9-8. The game remained intense, with both defenses tightening, forcing multiple turnovers and missed opportunities on both sides.
As the clock wound down, it looked like Cumberlands might escape with the win after Evan Barton scored his fourth goal at 1:24, pushing their lead to 9-7. However, WIU refused to back down. With just 2 seconds left in regulation, Jeremiah Loo fired a last-second shot past the goalie, tying the game at 9-9 and forcing overtime.
WIU won the crucial faceoff in overtime, with Cameron Paleski securing possession. After a timeout to set up their offense, WIU executed their plan perfectly. At 3:23, Nick Sheaffer delivered the game-winning goal, completing the dramatic comeback and securing WIU's 10-9 overtime victory.
Key Performances:
🔹 WIU:
🔹 Cumberlands:
- Evan Barton – 4 goals, dominant offensive presence
- Maalek Wilson – 1 goal, 1 assist
- Nick Kava – 1 goal
- Dennis Smith & Caden Abbott – 1 goal each
