Box Score Demorest, GA -- The Piedmont Men's Soccer team returned from a 0-2 deficit against the Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan to win 3-2. Junior Forward Vincent Thomas led the charge with a penalty kick goal, an assist, and the game-winning breakaway goal in overtime.

Both the Lions and the Battling Bishops came into tonight's match on edge. When these teams met last year in Rocky Mount, N.C., the Bishops eked out a tie after two overtimes thanks to an unlucky Lions own goal near the end of regulation.

Piedmont stuck to their game plan at the start of the game, high-pressuring the Bishops defense and forcing them to play with their heads down. Unfortunately, the tide changed in the 16th minute when N.C. Wesleyan's defender put a through ball over the Lions defense. The Bishops' forward trapped the ball and finished it swiftly to put the first goal on the board for the away team.

North Carolina Wesleyan stepped up the pressure with the lead, putting three more shots on goal in the next fifteen minutes including one blocked and one sharp save by goalkeeper Kenneth Hearn. The Lions' hard work wasn't enough though as the Bishops earned a header goal courtesy of a free kick from the Lions' left flank.

The Lions were down but not out at halftime. With the box score reading a 0-2 deficit, Piedmont's upperclassmen stepped up at the second half whistle and led the Lions on a charge against the Bishops. Quickly earning three corner kicks, the Lions put the Bishops defense on notice that they were coming. Vincent Thomas, who was on target all night, gave the visitors goalkeeper a tough shot in the 56th minute but he brought it in safely.

Thomas' efforts to get a goal paid off in the 73rd minute as the Battling Bishops gave up a penalty kick. The junior forward stepped up and placed a ball right-side netting and bringing the Lions within a goal of the visiting Bishops.

In the following five minutes, both teams were impelled to stop the other and the possession switched hands multiple times. N.C. Wesleyan earned a corner kick but the ensuing shot went wide for a Lions goal kick.

Piedmont smartly moved the ball down field and the BIshops did all they could to only give up a corner in the 73rd minute. Vincent Thomas hustled over to knock the ball in and he whipped a dangerous ball into the six yard box. With the keeper on his heels, Senior defender Stephen Sherfy left his feet to head the ball and sent it soaring into the Bishops goal.

With the scoreboard reading 2-2, the Lions developed a new desire for victory and pushed on against the frustrated Bishops. Only three minutes later, freshman Waldyr Pierre-Louis nearly scored the game-winner and his second of the year but the ball nicked the goal post and kept the crowd at bay for a short while longer.

Freshmen defender Dylan Krimmer took the last shot on goal before regulation ended 3-3 and the teams huddled together before overtime commenced.

Entering the first ten minute overtime, the Bishops put two shots wide and high to test Piedmont's keeper, Kenneth Hearn. Although not needing to make any saves in overtime, he finished the game with five notches on the box score.

The cinderella story finish of tonight's matchup came in the 95th minute of play. The Battling Bishops turned over a ball in the Lions defensive third. Senior midfielder Justin Whitaker instinctively turned off the ball and with a driven pass through the N.C. Wesleyan defense, set Vincent Thomas up with a breakaway. No stranger to scoring this season, with six goals prior to the breakaway, the junior touched the ball in stride and then rocketed it past the BIshops goalkeeper for the game-winning golden goal.

The Lions move forward with a 3-game winning streak and a 5-7 record. They are now 2-2 in the USA South. The next time Piedmont takes to the field is Wednesday, October 16th at Maryville College. The conference match is set for a 7:30 p.m. start following the Lady Lion match beforehand.