Pete Szerling headed home a free kick from Ryan Jones with 1:56 remaining of the first period of overtime to lift Marywood University to a 1-0 win over Alfred University in non-conference men’s soccer action on Saturday afternoon. The Pacers notched their first victory of the season to lift their record to 1-2-1 while the Saxons dropped their first game in four contests.

Marywood controlled much of the first half, out-shooting Alfred 9-2 in the opening 45 minutes of play, but where unable to find the back of the net. Brett Megee (Easton, PA) nearly gave the Pacers a lead in the 17th minute of his play, but his close-range shot rang of the crossbar.

Neither team was able to find the net in the second half with the Pacers again controlling play, holding a 5-1 edge in shots.

In a physical contest in which the two teams combined for 51 fouls, a restart would prove to be decisive late in the first overtime period. After a Saxons’ foul near the sideline forty yards from goal, Jones (Holland, PA) served a dangerous free kick into Alfred’s box. Szerling (Radom, Poland) ran onto the cross and drilled a header that beat Saxons’ goalkeeper Elliot Thorpe to the near post to give the Pacers the win.

Marywood finished the game with a commanding 15-3 edge in shots and an 11-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Jared El Gayeh (Baldwin, NY) needed to make just one save to pick up his first shutout of the season while Thorpe finished with four stops for Alfred.

Marywood returns to action on Wednesday night when they visit King’s College for a non-conference game scheduled to kickoff at 7:00 p.m. in Wilkes-Barre.