Game 14: Eastern v. Kings College

Eastern's Josh Cirocco chases down the ball in Wednesday's 2-1 win against King's College. Cirocco assisted Eric Giovagnoli's game-winning goal.

ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eric Giovagnoli scored both of the Eagles’ goals on Wednesday afternoon as Eastern University Men’s Soccer topped King’s College 2-1.

Giovagnoli, the Eagles’ team-leader in goals scored this season, buried the game-winner in the 78th minute, just 4:32 after King’s College had tied the game at 1-1.

With the win, the Eagles improved to 12-2 (5-0 Freedom) and secured a spot in the Freedom Conference playoffs. King’s dropped to 11-5-1 (3-2 Freedom) with the loss.

The Eagles hounded the Monarchs with 25 total shots, eight on goal. King’s was held to six shots total and two on goal. Neither team could find the back of the net through the first 45 minutes. The Eagles weren’t able to put any of their first-half shots on goal. Junior forward Josh Cirocco had two first-half attempts from the left side of the box aimed for the far post but both shots skimmed just wide.

King’s had a good look on goal in the end of the 35th minute, King’s Korbin Keene picked up a cross from the right wing that bounced behind Eastern’s back line and squared up a shot from about eight yards out. Eagles’ keeper Jamie Stratton dove and trapped the ball between his legs to keep the Monarchs scoreless through the first half.

Eight minutes into the second half, the Eagles put the game’s first goal on the board. On a Ben Barnhart corner kick from the left side, Nate Roberts headed the ball right at Monarchs’ keeper Tyler Wilson. Wilson had just enough time to bat the ball away, but it deflected right to the foot of Giovagnoli who finished right in front of the goal line.

King’s tied the game 20 minutes later on a headed in cross by Billy Brown.

The threat of overtime loomed for four-and-a-half minutes until Giovagnoli notched the game-winning goal. Cirocco intercepted a short goal kick and headed towards Giovagnoli who was even with the Monarchs’ back line. Giovagnoli weaved behind the center backs, collected the bouncing ball and punched it into the goal, his ninth goal this season.

The Eagles had a chance for an insurance goal in the 84th minute, but for the second time in the half, Eastern’s John Remsberg had a header denied on the goal line by a King’s defender.

Eastern will look to lock up the number one seed in the Freedom Conference with a win in their final two conference games. The Eagles play at DeSales at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Note: Eastern Men’s Soccer was ranked No. 7 in the Mid-Atlantic region in the NCAA regional ranking released on Wednesday. At the end of the year, this ranking is used to help determine NCAA tournament seeding.