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TROY, N.Y. – Junior John Manna scored in the 103rd minute to lift the fourth-seeded Union College men's soccer team to a 3-2 double-overtime victory against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Liberty League Semifinal action at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Dutchmen improve 11-5-0 and advance to Saturday's championship game at Hobart.

The sixth-ranked Engineers, who were also the top-seed in this year's league playoffs, are now 13-2-2 on the season. Both losses came at the hands of Union. Rensselaer will wait to see if it is selected with an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament. Selections will be announced on November 9th.

Tied at 2-2 heading into the second 10-minute overtime, Union was able to grab the win after Manna (Acton, MA/Buckingham Browne & Nichols), who scored the game's first tally in the 24th minute, found a loose ball and sent a hard kick at the net. His ball ricocheted off the left post and into the net behind RPI keeper Alex Penny (Northport, NY/Northport) for the game-winner.

Prior to the overtime session, Union faced a 2-1 deficit late in the second half, but was able to pull the game even in the 86th minute after a corner kick by sophomore Kevin Giron (Barrington, RI/Barrington) sailed into the box. In traffic, Penny went to make the save, but inadvertently punched the ball back into the RPI net for an own goal.

The Engineers found themselves down 1-0 entering the second half of action, Rensselaer's Tom Kelly (Shrewsbury, England/Shrewsbury School) made it an even game in the 48th minute after he headed the ball in off a corner kick from senior Michael Long (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton) past Union keeper Adam Margulies (Newtown, CT).

Kelly gave the Engineers the 2-1 lead in the 63rd minute after he buried his own rebound past Margulies. Junior Bryce Hutchinson (Elverson, PA/Twin Valley) carried the ball up the near-side, crossing it to Kelly in the middle. His initial shot was blocked, but Kelly found the ball quickly and beat the diving Union keeper for the go-ahead tally.

Despite a number of chances on both sides to win it late in the game, neither could find the back of the net, forcing overtime.

Rensselaer, which held the edge in shots (18-9), and corner kicks (9-4), saw Penny move to 12-2-2 on the season with a four-save effort. Margulies improved to 9-2-0 overall with eight stops in the Union goal.