Menlo News
Men's Soccer - Thu, Sep 9, 2010
ATHERTON, Calif. - Menlo College was dealt the cruelest of blows on Thursday afternoon when it erased a late 2-0 deficit only to surrender a goal in the first period of sudden-death overtime and lose anyway, dropping a 3-2 match to Academy of Art at Wunderlich Field.
 

The Oaks looked to be all but buried when the Urban Knights took a 2-0 lead in the 72nd minute. Unwilling to pack up shop, Menlo fought right back into the match, finding a much-deserved opener just minutes later.

 

Fermin Martinez tracked down the ball in the left corner in the 78th minute and fired an inch-perfect cross to Hugo Conchas, who controlled the pass and fired it into the net from close range.

 

Martinez nearly tied the score soon after when a cross pinballed off of his head and goalkeeper before sailing just over the crossbar. Then, in the 86th minute the score was level for the first time since the Urban Knights went ahead in the 24th minute.

 

With the Oaks pressing, Alex Vukic fought his way to the ball on the edge of the penalty area. Vukic somehow gained possession through a pair of Academy of Art defenders in the right corner of the area and chipped a perfect shot over goalkeeper Daniel Waller's head to tie the score and send the entire Menlo team into ecstasy on the sideline.

 

Unfortunately for the Oaks, the Urban Knights would laugh last. Just after Martinez stung Waller's hand with a long range effort, Grimur Grimsson ended the match on the opposite end of the pitch with a brilliant solo effort and long range shot of his own that did find the back of the net in the 99th minute.

 

Grimsson gave the Urban Knights the lead in the 24th minute thanks to a Richard Luna assist. Luna then doubled the advantage with a volley from out of nowhere in the 72nd.

 

Menlo is now 0-3-1 and returns to the field at Oregon Tech on Saturday at 11 a.m. Academy of Art is 1-2-0 overall.