CCU Men’s Soccer defeats N.C. State 3-2 in OT to begin NCAA tournament

RALEIGH, N.C. – Tyrone Mondi had been close several times during tonight’s game, but his goal with 6:26 left in the second overtime period sent Coastal Carolina to a 3-2 win at North Carolina State and on to the NCAA Championship second round.

Mondi had taken three previous shots in the match, but it was his fourth that was the difference maker. Mondi was able to pick off an errant pass deep in the Wolfpack’s defense and once he drew the goalkeeper out from the goal he blasted a shot into the back of the net to send the Chants into celebration mode.

While Mondi’s goal was the game winner, the Chants most valuable player of the match may have been goalkeeper Alberto Ciroi who came up with six saves, including a match-saver with just 20 seconds left in the first overtime period, a play that had Ciroi fist-pumping heading to the break between overtime periods.

It was a game that saw the host Wolfpack scoring first in the opening 45 minutes as David St. Loera scored on an assist from Tyler Gabarra in the 21st minute of the first half.

That lead held up for 15 minutes until Emile Rzepecki took a free kick from just outside the box. His kick bent around the front line of defense and just caught the upper right hand corner of the goal to level the score at one. That score stood until halftime.

In the second half the Chants took a lead in the 63rd minute as Kasper Skraep headed in an assist from Mondi to put CCU up 2-1.

From there the Pack turned up the offensive pressure and finally broke through on St. Loera’s second goal of the game with 16 minutes left.

CCU (10-7-3) withheld the storm and actually had a couple of shots in the final minutes, but the teams went into extra play even at two.

NC State (9-7-3) had a chance to win it twice in the opening overtime period but a Wolfpack shot went off the cross bar and Ciroi’s outstanding save stopped the Pack.

In the second overtime, the Chants took control early in the overtime period and never let NCSU get any offensive momentum and Mondi was able to end the match with his winning goal.

NC State finished the game with 18 shots and nine of those on goal. CCU had 11 shots with eight on goal. NCSU’s goalkeeper Vinnie Durand finished the game with five saves.

The Wolfpack controlled most of the opening half out shooting the Chants 9-5 and 4-3 in shots on goal. The host Pack also had five corner kicks to none for CCU.

CCU now moves on to the second round and will face eight-seeded SMU in Dallas. That game is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. (ET).