Impressively, Adelphi (9-7-1, 5-5 NE10) was only the third team to force Franklin Pierce (15-0, 10-0 NE10) to have to play from behind this season, joining Saint Michael's College and the College of Saint Rose.
Senior forward
Jesper Mikkelsen -- who was one of eight Panthers saluted in a pre-game Senior Day ceremony -- put the Brown and Gold on the board first.
In an effort to snap a two-game skid, Mikkelsen ran onto a
Victor Castel through ball in the 35th minute and beat the Franklin Pierce keeper on a low ball to the far post, excitingly staking the 'Cats to the 1-0 advantage.
While the top-ranked Ravens managed to level the score before the break, Adelphi again found itself with the lead in the opening seconds of the second half.
Only 55 seconds after the resuming whistle,
Benji Jones -- thwarting a Franklin Pierce counter in the process -- played a long ball into space for
Rory Duggan, who found the back of the net for the go-ahead tally.
Even falling behind for a second time in the match didn't seem to faze the visitors. The Ravens had entered today's contest with a 47-game unbeaten streak, dating back to Sept. 27, 2021.
In the 70th minute, Franklin Pierce's Caleb WIlliams delivered the strike that made all the difference. Beating two defenders on the ball, Williams fired a shot into the upper-right 90 to slingshot the Ravens in front for good.
Now searching for the equalizer for the first time in the contest,
Justin Pierre and Duggan both missed just left of the frame in the final seconds, resulting in the one-goal defeat for the Panthers.
Although he took the loss in the decision,
Daniel De La Heras was spectacular in goal for the 'Cats, nearly tying a season-high with seven saves on the afternoon.
Head Coach
Gary Book and his Adelphi squad now await their tournament seeding in the NE10 Championship -- which begins with first-round action at higher seeds on Saturday (Nov. 4).
