Newburgh, NY (Oct. 26, 2013) – Look out Skyline Conference, James Bruno and his Purchase men's soccer team is rolling. 

The Panthers staged a come-from-behind victory Saturday – the proverbial statement win – at Mount Saint Mary that won't be forgotten anytime soon. In a program defining moment for both Purchase and the surging season itself, the Panthers, who trailed by two goals early, fired back and won 5-4 in overtime, upending the stunned Knights on Senior Day in Newburgh.

The win catapults Purchase from a stranglehold on the No. 3 seed in the Skyline Conference Tournament to No. 2 in the playoff bracket, and it came on the final day of the regular-season schedule. 

"The two-goal deficit took the wind right out of our sails," said Bruno, Purchase's first-year head coach, who has turned around the program in one fall season, leading them from postseason outsiders to a championship contender. "I coached them through it and I am so proud of my guys. They never let up and they continued to play hard, which gave us an opportunity to win in OT."

"This is a really big win for our program and for the college as a whole," added Bruno, whose team posted the best season by a Purchase men's soccer club since the program joined the Skyline Conference, securing the No. 2 seed.   

Purchase will now have a first-round bye in the tourney, which kicks off next week, and will return to action on Nov. 6 in the semifinals unless an additional regular-season game is scheduled between the 10-day layoff.

The Panthers improved to 9-6-2 overall and 6-2-1 in the league in the intense overtime win. MSMC is now 10-4-2 and 5-2-2 in the Skyline.

MSMC scored first on a Brandon Mincher cross from Sean Lockwood in the second minute. In the ninth minute, Matt Garcia found Michael Ennis for a 2-0 lead.

Purchase responded in the 16th minute when Myles Clohessy (SO/Cornwall, CT) headed a Junior Sanguina (JR/White Plains, NY) free kick into the net.

"Huge play," Bruno described of getting on the board. "Junior whipped in a cross and Myles got his head on it.  That really got us back into the game."

The turning point of the game would follow soon after. With the Panthers down 2-1, MSMC goalkeeper, Matt Darling, tried clearing a ball from his goal  line, only to have Enderson Mhilli  (SR/Rye, NY) steal the ball and calmly put it home to knot the game at 2-2.  

Mhilli's heads up play continued as he helped set up the Panther's third goal of the half by passing a ball to Clohessy In behind the defense where he was taken down in the box by MSMC goalkeeper Matt Darling. Darling would receive a red card for the tackle and leave MSMC with 10 men for the remainder of the game. Sanguina would convert the subsequent penalty kick to give Purchase a 3-2 lead.

The Mount had a rough start to the second half when freshman goalkeeper Tyler Biscone allowed a goal to sneak by him in the 48th minute making the score 4-2.

Mhilli once again playing a part in the goal after beating two defenders to the end line and crossing the ball, which was misplayed by a Mount defender for an own goal.

"It's a testament to Mount Saint Mary to play as hard as they did with 10 men on the field," Bruno said of the red card and the second half comeback.

Down by two, MSMC's Rob Thompson netted the ball off of a double assist. In the 63rd minute Lockwood crossed the ball from the right side where he found Chris Marchese, who netted the ball, making it a 4-4 game.

In overtime, Sanguina played hero in a game that he completely dominated. The captain blasted the game-winning goal for Purchase in the 93rd minute of play after a MSMC foul gave Purchase a free kick from the right wing and Sanguina's perfectly place shot beat the goalkeeper.

"What a play," Bruno said of the Sanguina goal, which set off mass euphoria on the Panther sideline. "The free kick from the side of the box into the far post hit the hands of the keeper and right in. It was an amazing finish to an amazing afternoon."

For the Panthers, goalkeeper Esteban Aguilar (SO/East Hampton, NY) had 12 saves in the win.

Purchase, enjoying arguably its best season of all time, will now ready for the postseason. The top two teams receive a first-round bye and the other four teams, including MSMC, which will host a quarterfinal playoff game, face each other for a chance to take on the top two seeds in the semis. Sage holds the No. 1 seed in the tournament.

"Definitely an exciting time of year," Bruno concluded. "We are really looking forward to the tournament."