Delaware's Carlos Perales scored the game-winning goal.
Delaware Edges Northeastern 1-0 In Overtime
Rob Washburn
Boxscore | Men's Soccer #CAAChamps Central | Photos
NEWARK, Del. (November 14, 2014) – Freshman midfielder Carlos Perales scored on a 20-yard free kick with 7:17 left in overtime to lift top-seeded Delaware past No. 5 Northeastern, 1-0, in the semifinals of the CAA Men’s Soccer Championship on a frigid Friday night at the University of Delaware’s Stuart and Suzanne Grant Stadium.
Delaware (13-5-1) advances to Sunday’s 1 p.m. championship game where it will face No. 6 James Madison in a contest televised by the American Sports Network. Northeastern, which played its seventh overtime game of the season, had its season end with an 8-11-1 mark.
Following a foul on CAA Player of the Year Guillermo Delgado, Delaware was awarded the free kick. Perales took advantage, hooking his shot into the upper left corner of the net for his third goal of the season and his first career game-winner.
Both teams had good scoring chances in the second half but were denied by the opposing goalkeepers. With 37 minutes to play, Northeastern freshman Brad Fountain lined a free kick into the box that CAA Rookie of the Year Frantzdy Pierrot headed towards the right side of the net from 10 yards out. However, Delaware senior goalkeeper Borja Barbero was able to make a spectacular diving save.
The Blue Hens nearly broke through with 12 minutes left. Delagdo sent a pass to senior forward Kyle Bruno at the top of the box. He dribbled in and fired a 15-yard shot, but his attempt was smothered by charging Huskies’ goalkeeper Dylan Faber.
Shots were tied 3-3 in an evenly played first half. With just over five minutes left in the period, sophomore Marco Siverio lofted a pass to junior Joe Dipre to the right of the goal, but his five-yard header was caught by Faber. With 1:50 to go in the half, Northeastern forward Christian McKenna turned and fired from 20 yards out, but his shot caromed off the post.
Barbero was credited with one save and earned his seventh shutout of the season, while Faber made four stops on the evening. The Blue Hens finished with a slim 9-7 advantage in shots.
Delaware returns to the CAA championship game for the first time since 2011, when it captured its first conference title. The Blue Hens fell to JMU 1-0 during the regular season.