With his team trailing 3-2 heading into a second overtime Tuesday, Phoenix Mountain Pointe coach Bryan Sabato delivered a simple message: find a way to win. Spencer Thompson did.
Thompson put on show in the second extra stanza, scoring three of his four goals in the final 10 minutes to propel the Pride to a 5-3 victory over visiting Chandler Basha.
The win gave Mountain Pointe (11-2, 4-1), which was tied atop the 5A Central Region standings with the Bears, sole possession of first place with three matches remaining.
“It felt amazing,” said Thompson. “It was such a big game for us.”
Five minutes into the second overtime, Thompson was fouled just outside the penalty area.
He bent the ensuing free kick around a wall of Basha defenders, burying it into the upper left corner of the goal to tie the score at 3-3. The Bears’ goalie, Ryan Duran, didn’t move until the ball hit the back of the net.
The game-winner came on another free kick moments later.
This time, Thompson hit a ball that hugged the ground, eventually finding its way on to Duran, who could not stop it before it crossed the plane of the goal.
He added another score in the waning moments.
Sabato, while not discounting the late-game heroics of Thompson, said it was a total team effort.
“Let’s not kid ourselves, Spencer scores a lot of goals for us, but the other 10 guys on the field do their job, too.” Sabato said. “They’re working just as hard to get him the ball in spots on the field where he can be dangerous, and we did that tonight.”
