WEST CHESTER, PA – Sophomore forward
Kresstoph Whittick (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) finished off a cross from
Doug Goitia (Mt. Pocono, Pa./Pocono Mtn East) with four minutes left in regulation that helped host West Chester earn a 1-1 double overtime tie with No. 13 Wilmington at Rockwell Field Wednesday afternoon.
Whittick settled Goitia's cross at about the penalty dot and kicked it into the right side of the net, sending the Golden Rams' bench into a frenzy in the season opener for the Purple & Gold. The tie marked the third time in the last four contests between the two schools that ended in deadlock. It was also the fourth straight time that the game went into extra time.
Wilmington, which dominated play for much of the first half, opened the scoring in the 24th minute on a goal from Marius Skattum Dahl. The Wildcats limited their hosts to just one shot in the first 45 minutes while taking 12 of their own.
The second half was a different story.
West Chester began to create chances and knock on the door of the 13th-ranked Wildcats.
Gio Jimenez (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Twp.) sailed a direct kick off a restart just over the crossbar late in the contest while Goitia hit the post on an attempt from in close.
Golden Rams keeper
Daniel Good (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) lived up to his name in the final seconds of the second OT when he came up with a spectacular save on Wilmington's final attempt to pull out a victory. He made 13 saves in 110 minutes of action with eight of those stops coming in the first half.
West Chester travels to Adelphi on Long Island Saturday for its second game of the 2021 campaign.
