Emmanuel Hewitt

CHAMBERSBURG — The teams were evenly matched and the statistics and play reflected it.

But Cumberland Valley had one more effective push at the end and that was the difference in the Eagles’ 2-1 victory in the second overtime over Chambersburg in a Mid Penn Commonwealth boys soccer match Thursday night at Trojan Stadium.

Max Radosavljevic headed in a cross by Talon Davidson with 5:07 left in the second OT to lift the Eagles.

The win was the 300th in the 26-year career of CV coach Matt Billman, and more importantly, it gave Cumberland Valley a leg up in the Commonwealth standings. CV is 10-4 (8-1 MPC), while Chambersburg drops to 7-3-1 (6-2 MPC).

“The effort was good,” Trojan coach Corey Grove said. “We took them to double overtime and had some quality chances to win it. But we just couldn’t knock them out.”

The best chance came near the end of the first overtime when Chambersburg’s Emmanuel Hewitt took a shot that glanced off the crossbar.

But the Eagles got the big punch to go home winners.

The Trojans got on the board first, 15 minutes into the first half. Tyler Luther took a throw-in from the right side and the ball bounced in the penalty box. Hewitt knifed in from his left wing position to put his head on the ball and drove it into the upper right corner of the net past CV keeper Matt Zambetti.

Billman said, “We’ve given up too many goals like that one this year. But I was proud of the way we responded.”

Garrett Carter

The Eagles didn’t score the equalizer until the second half, 17 minutes in. Cameron Platt sent a ball into the middle and Sam Lundblad touched it to his right foot and hit a low shot into the corner that Trojan keeper Garrett Carter had no chance to get.

Grove said, “I thought our defense limited their goal-scoring chances. I know they out-shot us (15-11), but other than their goals, I thought they had only one or two other good chances. We had at least that many.

“We had trouble getting the ball up front at times. Their center mids pressed us so hard and we needed our outside backs to come up and help, but they were having to stay back.”

Carter played well in goal, making eight saves and breaking up several CV chances early.

Billman said, “I’d say the game we got (vs. Chambersburg) was the game we thought we’d get.”

“It went back-and-forth and it was a good game,” Grove said.

Cumberland Valley 2, Chambersburg 1
Cumb. Valley         0   1   0   1   —   2
Chambersburg     1   0   0   0   —   1
First Half
Ch — Emmanuel Hewitt, asst. Tyler Luther, 15th minute
Second Half
CV — Sam Lundblad, asst. Cameron Platt, 56th minute
Second Overtime
CV — Max Radosavljevic, asst. Talon Davidson, 95th minute
Shots — CV 15; Chbg 11. Corner kicks — CV 5; Chbg 4. Saves — CV 7 (Matt Zambetti); Chbg 8 (Garrett Carter).