Panthers GLIAC Co-Champs

November 3, 2013

NORTH CANTON, Ohio – After battling to a 2-2 double overtime draw at Walsh on Sunday afternoon, and riding a regular season 10 game unbeaten streak, the Ohio Dominican Panthers returned to Columbus as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Co-Champions.

The Panthers 10 game unbeaten streak started back on September 29. ODU finished with a 10-2-4 overall record and 9-2-3 mark in the conference.

With the win, the Panthers secured the top seed for the GLIAC conference tournament, after winning the tie breaker over co-champion Tiffin.

ODU defeated the Dragons at Tiffin earlier this year and tied them at Panther Field. ODU is guaranteed a first round bye and a trip to the GLIAC final four on Friday, Nov. 8.

The match versus Walsh wasn’t easy for the Panthers. In the first half, ODU fell behind 1-0 after a goal by Chris Lynch in the 25th minute. Lynch took a free kick from Chad Dickerhoof and sent a header into the back of the net.

The Panthers found an equalizer in the 62nd minute when freshman Jacob Atkinson (Hilliard, Ohio) kicked in his second goal of the season. Walsh’s goalkeeper deflected a ball off a clear, but Atkinson, staying with it, rolled it right back into the net for a goal.

Walsh wasted no time in regaining the lead in the 68th minute as Jeremy Dietrich netted his first goal of the season from Evan Heiss. Heiss passed the ball to the top of the box for Dietrich.

Having played from behind before, junior Jakob Szabo (Worthington, Ohio) zipped in the tying goal in the 82nd minute to keep the Panthers alive. Szabo connected for his fourth goal of the season when sophomore Caleb Wilson (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) passed the ball to the 10 yard line for Szabo's score.

Neither team could convert a shot for the remaining eight minutes to send the game into the Panthers fifth overtime of the season.

In extra minutes, the Panthers had scoring opportunities, outshooting the Cavaliers 5-0. For the game, ODU held a 27-20 advantage in shots and a slight 10-9 edge in shots on target.

Sophomore goalkeeper Justin Alexander (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) was solid all day, making seven stops.

The conference tournament kicks off with the quarterfinals on Tuesday, Nov. 5. More details about the tournament to come soon.