Noonan's Penalty Kick Lifts Blazers to 3-2 Overtime Win over Randolph

FREDERICK, Md.--Senior Tom Noonan cashed in on a penalty kick 10:14 into the first overtime period to propel the Hood College men's soccer team (5-11) to a dramatic come-from-behind victory over visiting Randolph College (2-9-1) Sunday on Senior Day at Thomas Athletic Field.
The triumph halted a five-game losing skid for the Blazers, who also recorded their first home victory of the fall since Sept. 13.
Senior Shane McCarrick wasted little time getting the scoring underway when he took a cross from classmate Mars Rabara in the second minute and made a nifty flick move with both feet to knock the ball behind him and into the left corner of the net.
Randolph evened the score at 1-1 in the eighth minute after a scramble in front of the net. Eric Struble's shot hit off the crossbar and ricocheted to Eddy Ratianarivo whose shot attempt was deflected by Shawn Fernholz. But Fernholz was unable to corral the loose ball and Zachary MacDougall tipped it in for the score.
Then at the 34:00-minute mark, Montana Gibson gave the Wildcats a 2-1 edge when he scored off a cross from Jonathon Bolton. That score would stand at the break.
Hood had chances to net the equalizer in the second half, outshooting Randolph 14-8. Sophomore Quinn Miller was able to elude keeper Aaron Humphreys and fire a shot on net but it was blocked by a Wildcat defender. However the rebound came right back to Miller and he was able to finish for his fourth goal of the season.
Tom Sprague took a corner kick opportunity in the waning seconds of regulation but the ball was knocked away by the Randolph defenders to send the game into overtime.
Randolph had just one shot attempt in the overtime session, that by Gibson midway through the stanza. In the 101st minute, Noonan and McCarrick got tangled up with Humphreys in the box and Hood was awarded a penalty kick after an apparent game-winning goal by McCarrick was whistled off. Humphreys was injured in the scuffle and was forced to leave the game, so midfielder Jonas Kjaer took over the goalkeeping duties. Noonan was selected to take the penalty kick and his blast to the left post darted past Kjaer for the game-winner, the sixth of his Blazer career.
Fernholz finished with five saves while Humphreys turned away nine attempts.
Hood wraps up the regular season Wednesday with a nonconference trip to Cabrini College at 6:30 p.m.








