Jason Pendleton called the experience “surreal : almost indescribable.”

Unfathomable, unbelievable, incredible would have worked, too.

Free State High’s boys soccer team blew a two-goal lead with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, then Olathe South scored in overtime to post a shocking 4-3 overtime win on Tuesday afternoon at the Firebirds’ field.

“Yeah, it’s frustrating,” Free State coach Pendleton said. “We snatched defeat from the jaws of victory very nicely.”

Olathe South led, 1-0, at intermission, but the Firebirds came out smoking in the second half. Less than eight minutes after the break, senior Dale Shillington drilled a game-tying goal.

Then, about five minutes later, soph Diego Gonzales snaked a shot just inside the left post and the Firebirds led, 2-1. Finally, with 21:34 remaining, senior Daniel Chance poked in another goal for a 3-1 bulge.

All the Firebirds had to do was protect the lead and their defensive mode worked like a charm. As the clock ticked down under two minutes, the Firebirds had this one in the bag.

Or so everyone thought.

With 1:38 showing, O-South’s Trevor Pentola slipped the ball past goalkeeper Ethan Morton-Gaught, but the Firebirds still had a 3-2 lead. Not for long, though.

In a desperate attempt to forge a tie and an overtime, the Falcons’ Sam Passig came rushing down the left side and uncorked a drive in front of the goal mouth that bounced off a Free State player and past the stunned Morton-Gaught.

The clock showed :09. Olathe South had scored two goals within 89 seconds.

“They got a break and it goes in,” Pendleton said of that last goal, “and we’re feeling a bit devastated going into overtime.”

Finally, with 4:49 remaining in the 10-minute OT, O-South’s Ethan Bauer supplied the clincher with a blast high into the right upper corner of the net.

Minutes later, after a post-game debriefing by Pendleton, the Firebirds trudged solemnly away.

“Things happen,” Chance said. “You have to move on from here. We’ve been in five overtimes this season, and this is the first one we’ve lost.”

Free State (4-3-4) will travel to Blue Valley on Thursday. Olathe South climbed to 8-3-1.