I know I know this title is a bold claim.
But in all honesty, this is the truth. Today was the best day ever. Period. There was a lot of hype going into today. We had known we were hosting the PSAC Men's Soccer Semi-Finals and Championship for six days. But nothing ever compares to the excitement of the day.
Days like today are always fresh in my mind. It reminds me of times with Salesianum Ice Hockey. The days where we played on Wells Fargo Center ice. The days before crucial playoff matchups. The bus rides before were almost dead silent. Some of these days ended in euphoria. Some ended in heartbreak.
There have been many great games called for previous games at Millersville too. Most of them were surprisingly good games or games that lived up to the hype. But none have ever exceeded the hype. Until now.
Today started out like any other. Getting up. Going to class. Every minute feeling like an hour. I was eating lunch in my apartment around noon. I wasn't due to Pucillo until 1:30. I watched some of my favorite calls on YouTube. But nothing could accelerate the time, so I said screw it and drove to the stadium.
We set up the stream super early and only then did time start to move. Little did we know what we had waiting for us. From the first whistle, both Millersville and Mercyhurst were off to the races. So much speed and aggression being displayed on the field. A surprise goal from Mercyhurst added a bit of awkwardness to the game. Minutes later, just before the half, Millersville got a gritty goal to tie things up. The two teams battled it out in the second until Jake Gosselin saved the day with the game-winner with 10 minutes left to go. Darian Mccauley made save after save in the dying moments of the game to give the Marauders a chance to go back-to-back.
The second semi-final ended with yet another exciting comeback win. West Chester scored with 3 minutes left in the first half with yet another scrappy goal. The rams decided to sit back and defend the rest of the second half. However, with 4 and a half left to go in regulation, Gannon tied things up with a beautiful volleyed goal from outside the box. The game would go into golden goal overtime where the Knights would complete the comeback with another beautiful goal from outside the box to complete a wild day of soccer.
But the excitement didn't end there.
As we were moving equipment into Pucillo gym we came across a rowdy crowd urging on the Millersville volleyball team against rivals Shippensburg, one of the best teams in the conference. However, the Marauders held a 22 game win streak at home and weren't going to let it go easily. After falling in the first set, Millersville battled back in a back-and-forth 30-28 victory in set 2. Down 2 sets to 1 I had just settled in at Pucillo gym. The place was rocking the loudest I had ever witnessed for a volleyball match. Set 4 was back and forth yet again, ending in a 30-28 victory for the Marauders to force a crucial 5th set. Millersville, no doubt feeding from the energy, handled the Raiders with ease and came away with a huge, late-season win that'll send shock waves throughout the conference.
For me, I was screaming, jumping, and getting hype for what seemed like the first time in forever. I had always been in the booth, always having to keep my excitement in check to make sure the call sounded its best. But tonight, all hell broke loose in the best way possible. To witness 3 comeback victories in one day, two of which came in crucial games for my school, was something to cherish. That's why I'm staying up to nearly midnight drafting this up. Because I never want to forget it, and I want to share it with all of you reading this right now.
Exhale Millersville, the Marauders are moving on to the Championship round. Gannon is next.