Wesley Wins Overtime Thriller
DOVER, Del. - Wesley's Frank Buffa (Phoenixville, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) scored his second goal of the game in the 96th minute as the Wolverines held off a hard charging Richard Stockton squad 5-4 in overtime.
Off a restart, Mike Monticchio (Middletown, Del./Middletown) took the ball and sent it to Buffa, who skirted a defender and sent the ball into the back of the net for the game-winner on his fourth score of the season.
Wesley had jumped ahead early in the match off a goal by Josh Chellah (Columbia, Md./Long Reach) in the 22nd minute and Buffa's first of the evening, assisted by Monticchio at 35:35.
The Wolverines doubled that lead in the first six and a half minutes of the second half. In the 48th minute, Luis Rivera (Rockville, Md./Rockville) fed Matt Nimmerichter (Middletown, Del./Middletown) on the right side of the net for the junior's second goal in as many matches. Then, at 51:28, Saidu Fofanah (Yeardon, Pa./Pennwood) sent home his second of the season for a 4-0 lead.
The Ospreys, nationally ranked earlier in the season, fought back and pulled to within one goal over the next 12:30 of play. Butch Huff started the scoring for Richard Stockton late in the 56th minute with a well placed shot into the top right corner. Just 29 seconds later, Jason Berlinger pulled the Ospreys to within 4-2 and Stockton scored again in the 65th minute.
Wesley clung to a one goal lead, turning away several Osprey chances before Berlinger scored his second of the night in the 79th minute to complete the comeback and send the game into overtime.
In overtime, the Ospreys were called for offsides twice in the first 2:20 before the Wolverines Joey Bottani (Ramapo, N.J./Pompton Lakes) put a shot on goal for the Wolverines at 92:48. Lou Herring turned the shot away in what was the only shot over the next three and a half minutes.
Wesley gained possession after and Buffa ended up with the ball and put it home into the lower right side for the game-winner.
Nick Talarico (Little Egg Harbor, N.J./Pinelands) maded seven saves for the Wolverines.
Herring made two saves in relief of Anthony Pompei.
The Ospreys outshot Wesley 18-13, but the Wolverines had the only two shots of the extra period.
The win was Wesley's 10th of the year, marking the seventh time in the last eight season that the team has reached double figures.
The Wolverines are back in action on Saturday, October 24 at 6:00 PM against Stevenson at Scott D. Miller Stadium.
