Buffs win in overtime thriller

The Buffs tied in the closing seconds and won in overtime.



It was like a tip-in at the buzzer in a basketball game. The boys’ soccer team got a goal in the closing seconds of regulation to tie the game with Auburn, and then the Buffaloes won in overtime.



It was the opening round game of the Three Rivers District Tournament, held Tuesday, May 22.



Floyd County, the tournament’s fourth seeded team, hosted fifth seed Auburn. The Buffaloes advanced with the 4-3 overtime win.



Adam Arno scored all the Floyd goals in regulation, while Jon Schula got the deciding goal in overtime. But for a while it looked like the Eagles would pull the upset for their first tournament victory.



Auburn went up 3-1 in the first half on goals by Eric Limon, Paul Fletcher and Will Sawyer. Arno had the Floyd goal.



Arno scored again early in the second half to cut the lead to 3-2. But Floyd missed several chances for a tie.



At the 25-minute mark, Adam Toler had a hard shot carom off the left upright. Arno was high with a shot at the 15-minute mark, and Nelson Morales got an open look, but his shot two minutes later sailed over the top of the net.



As the clock shut off below the two-minute mark, Alfredo Morales got a free kick, which bounced high in in the air into a group of players crowded in the box in front of the goal.



The Eagles’ keeper misplayed the ball, and Arno headed it into the net with about 20 seconds remaining.



That evened the game at 3-3, and Auburn was not about to mount a threat after the kickoff in the closing seconds of regulation play.



About midway into the overtime, Schula got the deciding goal.



The Buffaloes traveled to Pearisburg Wednesday, May 23, for the district semifinals with the number one seeded Radford Bobcats.



Radford upheld its seed, beating the Buffaloes 8-0 to advance to the district tournament finals. Jason Ryan scored two goals and had three assists for the Bobcats.



Giles beat Glenvar 5-0 in the other semifinal.