Box Score

BANNER ELK, N.C. - In a dramatic comeback, the Pfeiffer men's soccer team (4-3, 2-1 CC) scored twice in a 4:56 span over the final seven minutes of the match to secure a crucial 3-2 road victory over Lees-McRae (5-2-1, 1-1-1). Marshall Hodge netted the equalizer and Mateo Garces-Yepes recorded the winner as Pfeiffer jumps the Bobcats in the conference standings.

Hodge picked an opportune time for his first collegiate goal as the freshman got the rebound off his own shot and beat the keeper in the 83rd minute. With the Bobcats reeling, Garces-Yepes notched his second of the season with just 2:09 remaining as his blast to the lower left from five yards out found the back of the net.

"This was a great win," said Head Coach Bob Reasso following the emotional contest. "Lees-McRae is very well coached and a very good team and it took a lot of heart to win. We showed incredible resilience coming back, it was a phenomenal effort."

Lees-McRae took the early lead 9:15 into the match as James Smith beat Pfeiffer's keeper Nicolas Dulac to gain the upper hand. Nearing the end of the first half, Jaime Siaj continued his brilliant freshman season as he notched his seventh goal in his seventh career match. Siaj was set up by sophomore Nathan Regis and was left 1-on-1 with the keeper. Regis and Siaj are the highest scoring duo in the conference as the two have combined for 35 points through seven matches.

The Bobcats reclaimed the lead in the 68th minute as Marvyn Rieger's header off a corner kick gave the hosts a 2-1 advantage, setting the stage for the Falcons late heroics.

Siaj fired a match-high eight shots, accounting for nearly half of his team's total (17) in the contest. Dulac made four saves in net to improve to 4-3 on the season.

Today marked the second time in as many seasons that Pfeiffer scored a late goal to beat Lees-McRae on their own turf. In the Conference Carolinas quarterfinals a season ago, Paco Cortez scored in the 82nd minute to catapult Pfeiffer to its 10th win of the season and a spot in the conference semifinals.

The win improves Pfeiffer's road record to 3-1 on the season as Pfeiffer heads into a four-match home stand beginning with a non-conference tilt with local rival Catawba on Wednesday at 4 p.m.