ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Dylan Ruiz has scored 41 goals during his Roberts Wesleyan College career, but the senior striker did something on Saturday that he had never accomplished in college.
Ruiz drilled a half-volley from the top of the box just under the bar for a goal 1:53 into overtime to give the Redhawks a 1-0 victory over the University of Bridgeport in an East Coast Conference match.  
"Those are the kind of plays that All-Americans make and Dylan is an All-American," Roberts coach Scott Reber said. "Being able to deliver with a guy all over him with the stakes so high, it was just beautiful."
Ruiz, who has eight goals in nine matches this season, had gone three matches without a goal and had some quality chances on Saturday before executing his highlight reel effort.
"I don't usually score the spectacular goals," Ruiz said. "I usually score the easy goals to get us ahead. This was my first walk-off in college, so it's definitely special."
The day was also special for freshman goalkeeper Caleb DaSilva, who made five saves in his college debut while starting in place of the injured Jared Gibbons.
"Caleb did a phenomenal job," Reber said. "He kept us in the game, came off his line well and was excellent in his communication. What a way to start."
"There's nerves before every game," said DaSilva, whose older brother, Josh, is a junior midfielder for the Redhawks. "I have been waiting for this moment and I was ready for it."
He sure was.
The win extends Roberts' unbeaten streak to three games and moves the Redhawks to 2-1-1 in the ECC and 4-4-1 overall. It also ended a three-match losing steak against Bridgeport.
"It was a very hard battle and we showed a lot of determination and passion to get that 'W'," Roberts senior midfielder Marc-Anthony Blackburn said. "The 'L' was not an option for us."
The physical match went back and forth in regulation with tense moments for each side.
The winning play came off a restart. Ollie Ardle sent the ball into the box and junior Justin Robertson headed it back toward Ruiz, who delivered an emphatic finish.
"I didn't know if he saw me, but he did," Ruiz said. "I was calling for it and then the ball came at me and hit perfectly for a volley, so I took it.
"The ball went in slow motion. I saw it floating and I was just praying that the goalie didn't get a lucky touch on it. Once it hit the net, it was pure joy."
Blackburn, who was effective in controlling the middle all day, knew one of his teammates would come through in the clutch.  In the end it was Ruiz, who ranks fourth all-time in goals at Roberts just seven behind the record of 48 set by Jaime Rivera (1977-80).
"(Dylan is) a raw finisher, all of our forwards are raw finishers and we kept telling them all game to keep pushing and a goal would come," Blackburn said. "That was just a world-class finish and Dylan is a world-class player."
Roberts returns to action for an ECC matchup at Queens College on Oct. 16.