EAST PROVIDENCE — A wide open, offensively minded affair throughout, the East Providence High School and Central boys' soccer teams engaged in a zany opening round Division I playoff contest Thursday night, Oct. 29, at Pierce Stadium where the visiting Knights eventually edged the Townies by the score of 5-4, 4-3 on penalty kicks.

The teams played level at two apiece at the end of regulation time, then remained square after a pair of 10-minute overtime session as both sides scored a goal in each extra period. Ninth-seeded Central next converted four of its five PKs while eighth-seeded E.P. missed twice, including on its fifth and final attempt, to end the game.

The Knights advanced to a quarterfinal date against unbeaten and top seeded LaSalle. For the Townies, their 2015 campaign came to an end with a 4-7-4 overall record in D-I games.

East Providence will likely rue a host of missed opportunities to put the game away in regulation, especially during the opening 40 minutes when the Townies continually peppered Central keeper Kelvin DeLeon but could only put one behind the Knights' netminder.

The game was free flowing from the opening kick. Central began the contest on the front foot, but E.P. quickly settled in and accounted for the first real chance at goal when midfielder Brandon DeCosta sent a seeking ball towards Nathan Bento making a run down the left side. But Bento's attempt at goal missed, leading to an immediate and effective Central counter.

Within seconds, Knights forward Jose Rodas finished off the Central response, slipping a shot by E.P. keeper Nathan Silveira for a goal in the fifth minute.

To their credit, the Townies didn't turtle, in fact over the next several minutes they continually opened up the Central back line and had very good looks at net but either missed or were stone by DeLeon.

E.P. finally made the most of an opportunity in the 24th minute when off a Central direct kick Silveira made the save and bombed a long clear deep into the Knights' end, which Bento settled then chipped over a charging DeLeon for the equalizer.

Again, though, the Townies couldn't add another before intermission, missing out on four more legitimate looks at goal. Out of the break, the game's chaotic pace continued. Within the first 10 minutes, Central went back up on top 2-1. The Townies leveled a few minutes and the score remained tied at two at the end of 80 minutes of regulation time.

E.P. would next score the first goal in both overtime periods, only to see the Knights answer. So after 100 minutes of open run, the game headed to PKs where Jason Cruz, Jhon Bastidas, Donatien Djero and Kevin Luis converted for the Central while DeLeon's save on the Townies' final attempt sealed the win.

Costa and Tyler Coelho accounted for the East Providence goals in the second half and extra sessions. Silveira was credited with eight saves and DeLeon nine.

Also Thursday, on the road the EPHS girls' soccer team lost to Chariho, 6-0, in the opening round of the Division II playoffs. The host and seventh-seeded Chargers scored three times in both halves. Keeper Devon Federowicz was credited with six saves for the 10th-seeded Townies, whose season ended with a 5-12-1 record in league games. Chariho advanced to the quarterfinals opposite second-seeded Pilgrim.

— Photos by Tim Marshall