CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The MIT men's soccer team scored a beautifully-executed goal with less than two minutes remaining in the first overtime to advance in the NCAA Division III men's soccer tournament on Sunday, 1-0.

The Polar Bears end a fantastic season with a record of 11-4-4 and NESCAC champions. MIT advances to the sectionals next weekend and improves to 18-2-1.

How It Happened

• After a scoreless 90 minutes of action and the stats for both teams nearly identical, Engineers' junior Kareem Itani gathered the ball off of a Polar Bears' failed clear attempt and drove down the left flank. Itani sent a high cross to Sean Bingham, positioned just outside the six yard box, who headed the ball into the net for the victory.
• Prior to the golden goal, both teams had excellent scoring opportunities to end the game. Just 1:22 into the OT period, Bowdoin sophomore Sam Ward booted a shot that sailed over the cross bar, which kept the game scoreless.
• MIT had its own chance before the game winner when Itani drove into the box and shot midway through the stanza, but Polar Bears sophomore net minder Stevie Van Siclen put his body in front of the ball to prevent it from going in the net.
• With 35:02 expired on the first half clock, Bowdoin senior Connor Keefe was awarded a penalty kick, but his chance ricocheted off the post and back into play as the game remained knotted at 0-0.
• It was a tale of two halves as Bowdoin outshot MIT 8-3 in the first period, but MIT bounced back to outshoot the visitors by a 7-3 margin over the second 45 minutes of action.
• Engineers' senior goal keeper Jake Amereno defended the header attempts by Bowdoin well as three of the four times the Polar Bears used the tactic to try and score. Bowdoin first-year Moctar Niang beat Plattsburgh State yesterday with the header, but today Amereno was there for the saves.
• The Engineers and the visiting Polar Bears both shot the ball 12 times, while Bowdoin held a slim 5-4 advantage in corner kicks. Van Siclen (11-4-4) stopped the ball four times for Bowdoin.