ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — In a season some never thought would happen, the Flagler College men's soccer team did the unimaginable.
 
Just over a month ago, the third-seeded Saints went into fourth-seeded Francis Marion University searching for the club's first win and left with just that as they scored a pair of goals within six minutes to stun the home Patriots. It was the same grit Flagler showed in a season-opening tie against the reigning PBC Tournament champions Feb. 1, and the same one the Saints used to win four straight to earn a top-four seed in the PBC Tournament after being sidelined two weeks due to COVID-19 protocols.
 
That same fight shone through again Monday as the Saints mirrored its PBC Tournament semifinal upset win Wednesday at No. 2-seeded Young Harris College with another PK shootout victory, except this one was for the trophy. Flagler turned a come-from-behind, 2-2 tie into a 5-4 PK shootout win over Francis Marion once again as MVP Andrea Lubbia swatted away the final save to earn the Saints' first PBC Tournament title since 2011.
 
"It's been a tough year all around, but in hindsight we are thankful for the adversity we have faced," Flagler head coach Chris Kranjc said. "It helped to cultivate the spirit that this team has shown throughout the season. From overcoming injuries, to overcoming COVID, schedule changes and many more issues, the team was able to create a bond and togetherness that helped us end the season on a high.
 
"Andrea became a huge player for us during our playoff run and pulled off some amazing saves when it really mattered, non-more so than in the penalty shootouts. Extremely proud of this team and everything they have accomplished, winning the first title in 10 years is an incredible achievement!"
 
With the victory, Flagler becomes the first school to win both the men's and women's PBC Tournament titles since 2005 when Clayton State University did the same.The Saints (4-2-3) made history happen versus the Patriots (4-3-4) much like they have all season: in the final moments.
 
As the clock ticked down under 10 minutes, Joran Osland connected with Chris Stokes via a free kick as the lanky, 6-foot-5 defender got a header on it for the equalizer in the 82nd minute. Both of Flagler's goals came after a substitution, with the first coming after Al Cooper checked in ahead of his goal — assisted by Peik Koskinen — that came from the right and he tucked into the left post at the 38th minute.
 
The shots were equal across the board as Flagler had 14 and FMU had 15; however, the Patriots had eight on goal compared to the Saints' four. In between the home scores, Francis Marion had goals from Mauricio Castorino, just before Cooper's score, and another from Javier Bello on a well-executed header via Alvaro Zamora to take the lead in the 58th minute. But once Stokes' score pushed through, all the momentum shifted to the home team as the Saints kicked it into high gear.
 
Lubbia had six saves compared to Maximiliano Rocco's two and proved his dominance in the shootout for the second straight playoff PK victory. After Eden Shachar, Max Lambertz, Jed Bowman, Matteo Costa, and Al Cooper netted their kicks, the MVP made the title-clinching save to cap an unforgettable season for the Saints.
 
All-Tournament Team
Jed Smith, Lander
Samuel Maardh, Lander
Val Feeney, Young Harris
Alex Gschuend, Young Harris
Mauricio Castorino, FMU
Jafet Santiago, FMU
Sebastian Garcia, FMU
Jed Bowman, Flagler
Matteo Costa, Flagler
Max Lambertz, Flagler
Andrea Lubbia, MVP, Flagler
 
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