Indians, Bulldogs rumble to double overtime tie
Adam Gore/LetsGoICC.com

FULTON, MS – ICC head soccer coach Mike Sullivan expected a battle when his Indians faced Holmes and that's what they got and then some in a 2-2 double overtime finish in Fulton.

"We knew it was going to be a battle coming into the match," said ICC head coach Mike Sullivan. "We've developed quite the rivalry over the years with Holmes and this match was another instant classic between our programs."

Holmes took a 1-0 into the break after a first half filled with missed opportunities for the Indians.

"It just seemed like we were playing in slow motion in the first half," commented Sullivan. "It was taking too long for us to take shots when we had them and you can't give a team like Holmes any extra time to adjust on defense because they are extremely good on the defensive side of the ball."

Nick May (Caledonia) tied the game midway through the second half off an assist from Michael Wathen (Amory), but Holmes answered with 13 minutes left in regulation to take a 2-1 lead before Dylan Howard (Starkville) scored an electrifying goal off an assist from Daniel Cox (DeSoto Central) in the 86th minute.

"That was a big goal for us considering the situation," Sullivan said. "Things were really starting to get heated on the field and we were able to use that intensity to get one of what very well could be the most difficult goals we'll score all season long."

Neither teams could manage a goal as tempers flared during both overtime periods with the hard-fought division battle match ending in a 2-2 tie.

"I felt like our youth showed up at the wrong times today," Sullivan said. "These type of games are all about keeping your cool and not losing the mental edge of play. We weren't able to do that at crucial times today and hopefully the guys saw the importance of keeping your cool in tense moments."

Cullen Grantham (Corinth) finished the game with three saves and two goals allowed in 110 minutes in net for the Indians.

The Indians will return to division play Friday at 4:00 p.m. as they host East Central Community College.

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