WILMINGTON, Ohio - Capital University scored three goals in the final 12 minutes to compete a comeback for the ages in a 4-3 win over the Wilmington College men's soccer team in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament quarterfinal at Williams Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Comets, who avenged a 2-1 defeat in the 2021 spring OAC Tournament at Williams Stadium, nearly opened the scoring in the 13th minute when a Fightin' Quaker giveaway at the back line resulted in goalkeeper Felix Maurer making a point-blank save on a shot from Sam Spirk. The hosts opened the scoring in the 29th minute when a long Mitch Solle throw-in found the head of Casey Miller, who put a low shot towards to near post for the game's first goal.
Capital took five more shots attempting to equalize, but just before halftime, Jeffry Vasquez squirted through two Comet defenders and was tripped in the box. Ryan Forino, who missed a penalty kick in the OAC opener at Heidelberg University, pounded the shot home to give Wilmington a 2-0 lead at halftime.
The visitors ramped up the pressure in the second 45 minutes and scored just over a minute into the period as Jack Francisco buried a left-footed shot from the top of the box. The Quakers, which were outshot 15-3 in the second half, kept the Comets at bay over the next 30 minutes, however. In the 75th minute, Grant Murray sent a ball down the near side of Townsend Field to freshman Brady Vilvens. The Wilmington High School alumnus beat charger keeper Kellen Sargent to the ball to put WC back up 3-1.
The lead wouldn't hold, however, as Capital just kept on coming. A Francisco half volley from 25 yards out less than four minutes later made it 3-2, and Jarrett Puckett, who had a free kick carom off the crossbar in the regular season meeting between the two schools, buried a long set piece from around the same spot to tie the game in the 83rd minute. Just as the game looked to be heading to overtime, Francisco completed the hat trick with a header goal very similar to Miller's with a minute to play.
Capital out-shot Wilmington 26-8 in the contest including by an 11-3 margin in shots on goal. Each of the Quakers' three shots scored in the game. Kellen Sargent earned the win in just over 21 minutes in goal while Felix Maurer's stellar career likely comes to a close with a six-save performance.
Capital (10-7-1) will move on to face top-seeded John Carroll University on the road on Thursday while Wilmington concludes its season with a 12-3-3 record.
