BILLINGS, Mont. – University of Mary's Luca Manzotti tied the game with 16 seconds left in regulation, but Austin Shafer needed just two minutes and eight seconds of overtime to put away the game winner, allowing Montana State University Billings a 2-1 victory over the Marauders in non-conference men's soccer Sunday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field.
 
Shafer joined Theo Lamare on the stat sheet, who scored at 64:05 as MSU Billings completed the home-and-home sweep of UMary, which began with a 3-1 win on September 23. The win evened the 'Jackets to 3-3-1 in non-conference action. The Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule begins October 3.
 
"The goal with 16 seconds to go was definitely a difficult one to swallow," commented head coach Thomas Chameraud. "We created a lot of quality chances throughout the game and we should have put it away way before, but unfortunately we didn't. UMary was a very physical team and that made them dangerous on set pieces and corners. I was very happy with Austin, who was able to score a goal on his only shot. It wasn't an easy play at all but he opened up his left foot and with one-touch finished it which was great to see."
 
The Yellowjackets generated numerous scoring chances throughout the game and posted 24 total shots with 12 landing on goal. The 'Jackets did not connect on nine corner kick opportunities. In the 65^th minute, Shantik Bedrosian rifled a shot at UMary goalkeeper Dawson Fairchild. Lamare found the rebound and buried it low to give MSUB a 1-0 advantage. Manzotti's equalizer in the 90^th minute came when he batted a bouncing ball at waist height out of the air from inside the box past goalkeeper Jessy Martin.
 
Bedrosian recorded a season high four shots on goal and six total shots. Christian Thode and Theo Lamere picked up assists on Shafer's overtime tally. Four players took three shots apiece including Thode, Lamare, Noah Runsvold, and Ignacio Crespo. Thode had a one-on-one chance in the right side of the box mid-way through the second half but Dawson made a brilliant save charging forward.
 
Jessy Martin made four saves to get the win for MSUB. Fairchild took the loss, despite 12 saves and two goals allowed.
 
The 'Jackets hit the road next week with a game against Northwest Nazarene October 3 at 7:30 p.m. followed by Concordia University October 5 at 12:30 p.m. MSUB has won three of its last four games, including a 4-0 shutout over South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
 
"I think the GNAC this year is very open," Chameraud said. "Every game will be 50-50 and we have to find a way to win. We'll rest up a little bit and then play NNU and Concordia with some confidence. We have to continue to work hard if we want to get a positive result on the road. With two weeks on the road to start conference play, it's never easy but we have to find a way."
 
THE BUZZ: Austin Shafer (Jamestown, North Dakota) was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the game after he scored his first goal of 2019. Shafer finished with two goals as a freshman last season…Theo Lamare tallied his second goal of the year Sunday and has five total points (third).