Box Score

LANCASTER, Pa. – Junior Chris Bayon (Langhorne, Pa./Lawrenceville School (N.J.)) scored the biggest goal of his career in the semifinals of the Centennial Conference Tournament on Saturday, banging home the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the Gettysburg College men's soccer team past host and top-seed Franklin & Marshall College by a score of 2-1.

The Bullets move on to the championship match on Sunday where they await the winner of Saturday's other semifinal between Johns Hopkins University (15-3) and Muhlenberg College (12-3). Sunday's contest is slated for 1 p.m. at Franklin & Marshall.

The Diplomats, ranked 11th in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NCAA Division III poll, struck first when Bullet keeper Matt Langston (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) unsuccessfully cleared a ball which was in turn intercepted by Ryan McGonigle. The host's leading scorer corralled the loose ball and touched it past Langston for the opening goal at 5:03.

Gettysburg (12-6-1) recovered quickly and embarked on its own scoring opportunities a short time later. Following a corner kick just before the 15-minute mark, the ball found its way out to Ian Forster (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) at the top of the box. The junior wasted no time in blasting a shot top-shelf into the goal at 15:11 to knot things up at 1-1.

The Bullets continued to press the attack late in the half with Bayon taking a pair of decent attempts at the goal. The first was saved by the Dip goalie, while the second skirted in front of the goal and just missed going inside the far right post with just over five minutes remaining in the first period.

At the start of the second half, things looked bleak for Gettysburg as Franklin & Marshall forced three consecutive corner kicks, the latter two almost resulting in the go-ahead score. Those two attempts led to point-blank shot attempts by McGonigle, but defensive saves by Pat Brown (Far Hills, N.J./Ridge) and Jesse Gemberling-Johnson (Wyndmoor, Pa./Christopher Dock) kept the score deadlocked.

The battle raged on for the remainder of the period with Langston stopping one Diplomat shot and Zack Zamek thwarting five Bullet attempts. With the defensive lines holding firm, neither team could gain the upper hand in the waning moments, leading to the first extra session.

The Bullets came out with fire in their eyes in the overtime period and held sway throughout the opening minutes. After driving down the right side of the field, the ball found its way to Forster who sent an arcing line drive to the far left post. Bayon was right there for the header, utilizing his jumping ability to knock home his 12th goal this fall in the 95th minute and sending Gettysburg into the conference finals for the second time in three years.

Bayon and Gemberling-Johnson led the attack with four shots apiece as the Bullets out-shot the Dips 13-9 for the match. Langston made a pair of saves en route to improving his record to 9-1-1 this fall.