Longwood University Athletics

RADFORD, Va. – For a season finale between two in-state rivals, Longwood and Radford men's soccer delivered a breathtaking effort on Wednesday night with a playoff spot on the line.
 
Ninety minutes wasn't enough to decide it, and Dondre Robinson knocked home the game winner in the 98^th minute to lift Radford (5-10-2, 3-5 Big South) win 3-2 in overtime.
 
Robinson finished off a counterattack after Longwood (6-10, 1-7 Big South) was denied on the doorstep less than a minute prior. Dan Ahrens headed a ball that seemed destined for glory, but Radford's Joseba Incera denied it and snuffed out a rebound chance before starting the counterattack the other way. Mouhameth Thiam played a ball over the top to lead Robinson to his first goal of the season while giving Longwood its seventh one goal loss of the fall.
 
"What a heartbreaker," Longwood head coach Jon Atkinson said. "It sums up how close this season has been in many aspects."
 
Longwood and Radford came in battling for the sixth and final Big South playoff spot following Longwood's win over UNC Asheville over the weekend. Radford controlled its own destiny while Longwood needed a win and a UNC Asheville loss.
 
"It takes character to come to places like this and attempt to play your way in to the tournament," Longwood head coach Jon Atkinson said. "While results meant all our efforts would have been for naught, I felt we gave a good account of ourselves and showed a ton of spirit. The outcome turned on a play that you see all too often in this crazy game of ours, one minute we have what looks like the game winner in the bag and within seconds, we concede on the sucker punch. Fair play to Radford, they defended their field."
 
Instead of folding after Radford took a 1-0 lead in the 15^th minute, the Lancers banded together earnd the equalizer. Freshman Filip Hinge tallied his third goal in two matches and fourth of the season once Ahrens flicked a header forward to the penalty spot in the 31^st minute.
 
With the score knotted at one at the half, Longwood jumped out to the early lead in the second half. Markus Gronli lifted a beautiful corner kick inside the six in the 53^rd minute, and Chase Quinn outjumped everyone to head it home for a 2-1 lead. It was the senior's second goal of the season and career, and both have come on Gronli corners.
 
Radford answered in the 76^th minute as Patrick Siczek found a seam on the right side. He netted a tight-angle shot to even the score at two apiece.

The Lancers are set to see six seniors graduate while 23 players are set to return in 2020.
 
"We can now self-reflect and look to iron out areas that inhibited our results in conference as we want to be playing post season soccer and need that to be the standard here at Longwood," said Atkinson. "As for our seniors, it is always a tough end. We appreciate all their efforts and wish them well in their future pursuits."
 
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