Golden Goal Puts Drew Into Championship Match

MADISON, N.J. - One moment of brilliance from Greg Zizik won a hard fought Landmark Conference playoff game as the Rangers defeated Susquehanna in the second overtime period, 1-0.  Zizik bent a corner kick just inside the near post for the game's Golden Goal.  Drew's defense allowed just six shots with Jeff Rogers making the three saves when needed in the tense affair.  The Rangers (11-7) will face Scranton in the Landmark Conference finals on Saturday after they upset USMMA in overtime.

Adrian Kawuba won the corner kick with a nice run that a Susquehanna defender could only knock out of play.  Zizik stepped up to take the kick and curled a hard bending cross at the near post.  The Susquehanna keeper, BJ Merriam, who had a great game for the Crusaders, was a step or two off his line and had to dive back towards the goal to recover.  He punched the ball clear, but the linesman on the far side had his flag up to signal that the ball had crossed the plane.  Zizik, already with his hand in the air claiming goal, led the celebrations back down field for the Rangers.  With the win, the Rangers punched their ticket to the first ever Landmark finals.

The Rangers nearly had a dream start as Jesse Puzio controlled well just fifteen seconds into the game, but fired high from 18 yards out.  At the eight minute mark, Greg Zizik nodded Vincent Costa's nice cross just wide of goal.

Susquehanna was next to get the chances as Matt Campbell and then Andrew Carey scared the Ranger goal.

The match settled into a midfield battle with both teams going hard into tackles and 50/50 balls.  At the 34 minute mark, the Rangers played their best of the half, stringing together eight passes to get out of trouble and into the Crusader half.  Bobby Sprengel was at the end of the play, dragging his shot wide of the target from outside the box.  In truth, neither team played well in the first period as the nerves accompanying a first ever Landmark playoff game shown through.

Matthew Greenberg got the Rangers started in style as he made two moves to get himself some space before blistering a rising drive that forced BJ Merriam into a great save.

Adrian Kawuba's outstanding individual effort in the 73rd nearly broke the deadlock.  A weaving run from four yards out ended in a shot off the post from an acute angle.  Marc Chiarello almost picked a perfect time for his first goal of the season as he got to the end of Andres Callejas' free kick inside the box, but his diving header sailed high.

Susquehanna's Dennis O'Hara tried to sneak a goal against the run of play, but his fine dipping drive was saved well by Jeff Rogers.

Greg Zizik just missed a spectacular winner as his ferocious free kick from thirty yards could only be knocked down by Merriam with a Susquehanna defender quickest to the rebound.  The Rangers had one last chance to win it in regulation, but a corner and a cross came to nothing.

Dan Bonder had another huge game in defense, making a great recovery to prevent Ryhan Nelson from getting alone on goal early in the first overtime period.

The winner came in the 104th minute of play as Zizik bent his corner just inside the near post.

The game on Saturday, tentatively set for 2 pm, will feature the Rangers in yet another conference final, but this time a Landmark one hosting the Royals.  Scranton's upset gives the Rangers home field advantage, a nice bonus for the win as Drew has turned Ranger Stadium into a fortress this season, posting an 8-0 record at home.