Notre Dame boys soccer coach Jim Schermerhorn knew Saturday night's sectional match up with East Ridge was going to be a battle but he probably didn't anticipate how close it was going to be. The Irish would need a miracle golden goal by Baggio Card two minutes into the first golden goal half. Card's goal gave the Irish a 3-2 win over the Pioneers, ending their season.
Notre Dame advances to the Class A/AA state quarterfinals which begin on Tuesday in Murfreesboro.
Christian Culvert opened the scoring for Notre Dame in the first half but East Ridge would tie it on a penalty kick taken by Tad Whitaker.
Christian Culvert gave the Irish a 2-1 lead 23 minutes into the second half assisted from Baggio Card.
East Ridge didn't wait long to answer as Tad Whitaker received the ball in the box and finished with the left footed shot.
Tied 2-2, the game went to the first of two ten minute overtimes.
Notre Dame had a shot go off the cross bar and East Ridge had the ball in the Notre Dame box twice in injury time but could not finish. In the second ten minute overtime, Card missed wide right on a shot in front of the goal.
Card didn't miss on his second chance in overtime. Just two minutes into the first golden goal period, Card saved the ball from going out of bounds on the endline, made a move in front of the goal and found the back of the net for the game winner.
"I thought it was going out," Schermerhorn said. " Then he cut back and was able to finish."
Schermerhorn spoke very highly of the Pioneers of East Ridge.
"I think our nerves were killing us in the first half," the veteran coach said. "I thought we were panicking and couldn't settle down but alot of that had to do with East Ridge. They gave us everything we could handle."
The Pioneers finish their season with a 13-3-2.
East Ridge head coach Jeremy McEntyre had to hold back tears after the game when talking about his battle tested soccer team.
"It was an incredible dream season," he said. " We played an incredible game tonight. They left it all on the field. I told them they needed to leave the field with their heads high. They should be proud of the way they played."
Notre Dame will make their second straight trip to the state tournament. The Irish lost to David Lipscomb in the first round last year.