Spring Arbor, Mich. - In a back and forth match, the Marian men's soccer team stole a victory from Spring Arbor on Wednesday night, getting a go-ahead goal on a penalty kick in the 89th minute to claim a 3-2 win. The Knights win improves their overall record on the season to 8-2-2, while the Knights are now 3-2 in Crossroads League play.

Spring Arbor took the first shots of the game as they pressured the Knights early, but the two rips in the first 11 minutes of the match both were wide of target. Agon Hoxa made a run and took both of the opening attempts of the match for the visitors, but after missing his first look wide, the second was smothered by keeper Matt LeBlanc. 

Marian stayed on the attack and in the 20th minute came away with the night's first goal, as Kameron Hooker cleaned up a congested goal box off a Yoshiaki Takeishi free kick to bury the night's first goal. Kyle Alb earned the assist on the goal that put Marian in front 1-0, but the lead wouldn't last long as Spring Arbor answered with the tying goal from Rood Schnaider in the 23rd minute.

The score would remain level at the break, despite Spring Arbor taking an 8-4 advantage in shot attempts in the half. Juan Torres came up big twice with a pair of saves in the first half to keep the 1-1 draw.

After intermission, Marian turned up their offensive pressure, taking nine attempts in the second half with the first coming in the 48th minute from Phillip Seifert. Romaric Berneron and Sebastian Gonzalez peppered the goal as Torres worked his best to keep the Cougars out of the net, with the Knights keeper making a pair of saves before the match reached the 75th minute. 

In the 76th minute, Marian built their offensive attack and punched through the go-ahead goal, as Sebastian Gonzalez took a pass from Takeishi and buried his sixth goal on the season to drive Marian in front 2-1. Much to the chagrin of the Knights, the actions of the first half repeated itself, as Spring Arbor countered with a goal in the 81st minute from Matheus Cunha, as he broke through the defense of Marian to tie the game.

Marian kept their composure despite giving up the tying goal, and attacked the Cougars with a fury of shots and corner kicks, trying to sneak a go-ahead goal. With 70 seconds left in the match Marian made one final push, and had a look as Jayden Francis was attacking in the box, but the striker was taken down from behind, drawing a penalty shot. The Knights' captain Berneron took the shot from the spot, and slammed his first goal of the season to the right of the keeper to give Marian a 3-2 lead, which would go on to stand as the final score.

As a team the Knights recorded 13 shots with five looks on target, converting three goals. Gonzalez led the team with three shots with one resulting in a goal, and Hooker posted two shots with one goal. Hoxha and Berneron each took two shots in the match with Berneron's penalty goal standing as the game-winner. Alb and Takeishi had the two assists in the match for Marian. In goal, Torres finished the night with five saves on the 16 Spring Arbor shots. 

Marian will come home for their next four matches as they hit the home stretch of the season, hosting No. 10 Bethel on Saturday afternoon. The match time for Saturday's match has been moved up an hour, and kick will come at 1 p.m.

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