Stone Nets Overtime Winner To Top DePaul
CHICAGO, Ill. - Senior Andrew Stone netted the game-winning goal with 36 seconds left in overtime to give the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team a well-deserved 2-1 victory over DePaul University Friday afternoon at Wish Field.
"I think it was a result that we deserved," UWM head coach Kris Kelderman said. "We played well, our possession was really good and it has been the past few games. We played good soccer. I feel like I'm saying the same thing after every game - we are getting a good number of shots and chances but struggling to get that second goal."
The Panthers (3-0-1) dominated the stat sheet against the Blue Demons (1-4-0), yet found themselves in overtime after DePaul scored with 1:47 left in regulation.
"I thought we could have managed the final three minutes better than we did," Kelderman said. "But they got an opportunity, finished it and here we go to overtime again. Give the guys credit, it's tough when you feel you have the upper hand throughout the whole evening and then they come back. We went into overtime with a good attitude. We were aggressive and fortunately, we came away with the victory."
Milwaukee outshot its opponent by a final count of 26-8, but a career-high 11 saves by Blue Demon goalkeeper Eric Sorby kept the game from being one-sided.
On the fifth corner kick of overtime, senior Luke Goodnetter's service to the front of the goal area fell to the feet of Stone, who blasted it past the keeper to make UWM a winner.
With the victory, the Panthers remain unbeaten at 3-0-1, marking the first time the team has been unbeaten through four games since starting the 2001 campaign 4-0-0.
"It's exciting," Kelderman said. "We are pushing ourselves. We are playing good soccer and excited about where we are, but know that we have to get better because it's only going to get harder."
Freshman Liam Anderson saved the day for UWM just after the start of overtime, making a quality save in a one-on-one situation at the 91:27 mark.
Junior Laurie Bell, who had a busy day with a game-high eight shots, was denied the golden goal minutes later, when his blast from the top of the 18 was pushed just wide by Sorby.
Senior Robbie Boyd gave UWM a 1-0 lead in the first half with some impressive individual effort. After taking a pass from Bell, he motored down the right side, took a few touches past the backline and sent a low shot to the far post on a tough angle for his first goal of the season in the 37th minute.
That looked to be the winner, but DePaul pushed forward at the end and found the equalizer.
Milwaukee had several quality chances to make it 2-0 in the second, but Sorby was up to the task each time. Senior Austin Toth nearly had a goal in his return to DePaul, but Sorby tipped his shot over the bar after a combo of passes from Bell and Boyd in the 58th minute.
Sorby then came up with a magnificent stop on Bell on a close-range shot in the 79th minute after sophomore Aaron Horvat found Bell alone in front of the goal. Just 26 seconds later, Sorby stopped Horvat at point-blank range as well.
Milwaukee spent the first half attacking, ending the period with that one-goal lead but came close numerous times to finding the back of the net.
Leading the way was freshman Kostas Kotselas, who had a trio of great saves turn away what would have been his first collegiate goal.
Senior Aaron Cranfill found a streaking Kotselas in the box in the 18th minute. He beat his man and beat the DePaul goalkeeper, but had a Blue Demon defender clear the ball off the line just before crossing.
Bell found Kotselas the other two times. First, in the 26th minute on a long serve that Kotselas volleyed out of the air but was stopped at the post. Then, in the 32nd minute, Bell carried possession along the end line, finding Kotselas at the top of the 18. But, his one-timer was once again saved to keep the contest scoreless at the time.
The Panthers return back to Milwaukee this evening before hitting the road again later this weekend. Up next is a game at IUPUI Sunday, set for a 2 p.m. CST kickoff.
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