Pirates Advance Past Siena in Dramatic Fashion

Published: Friday, November 21, 2025

by Sean Casey

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J.- Seton Hall (7-3-8) hosted Siena (9-5-5) in the First Round of the NCAA Soccer tournament, and in a back-and-forth classic, the Pirates emerged victorious in penalty shootouts, 1(3)-1(0). Goalkeeper Matias Molina was the hero, stopping all three penalties he saw.

Hosting their first NCAA tournament game since 2005, Seton Hall got off to a fast start. Just five minutes in, the ball found Joseph Min’s foot right in front of the goalkeeper. However, Siena keeper Bennet Glinder made a fantastic save, keeping the contest in a stalemate.  Mikkel Lejbowicz also had a flurry of first half chances but was unable to convert.

Despite another five chances in the half, ending the opening frame outshooting Siena seven-to-two, the game remained tied at 0-0 entering halftime .The Pirates were the better team throughout the first half, dominating both possession and chances, but the score remained deadlocked at halftime.

Coming out of the break, it was Siena who looked to be the better squad. Their best look came in the 54th minute and tested Molina who made a great save. Despite the Saints momentum, the Pirates struck first after winning a corner a few minutes later.

It was Hugo Gerbore’s corner kick which was placed perfectly to Resch who headed the ball straight into the net. Resch, the BIG EAST Defensive player of the year and the Pirates captain, continued to use his tall frame to score off set pieces for this Seton Hall team. 

Seton Hall had a lead heading into the last half hour of the game, but Siena continued to fight, firing shots in the 65th minute and later on in the 77nd minute when Tomislav Vrdoljak missed just wide right.  

The Saints continued to battle and build more chances in the latter stages of the game, with the hostility increasing on both sides as foul after foul drew yellow cards. Amidst the chaos and with just 77 seconds remaining, Siena tied the game up off a corner, with defenseman Eric Svensson scoring the clutch equalizer.

With both sides failing to find the back of the net for the remainder of regulation, the game headed to overtime. Siena and Seton Hall played two 10 minute halves, but neither side was able to produce much with tired legs and fatigue setting in on a cold night. Across both overtime periods, the two sides combined for three chances, only one of which forced a save.

After those 20 minutes had gone, the two sides put the fate of their seasons in the hands of their goalkeepers for the penalty shootout. Matias Molina played hero for the Pirates and made three huge saves, while Mans Saebbo, Konstantin Donalies and Axel Berglund all converted their pens, allowing the Pirates to advance.

The Pirates will travel to Smithfield, R.I. to face the 11-seeded Bryant Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament's Second Round on Sunday, November 23.  Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., with Ryder Nuesell and Jack Pine on the call.

Sean Casey can be reached at sean.casey@student.shu.edu.

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