(Story Courtesy of Trinity University Sports Information Department)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Tiger men's soccer team survived a thrilling penalty kick shootout to advance to the second round of the NCAA Playoffs, following Saturday night's 2-2 draw against the University of Texas-Dallas.
Trinity (12-2-4) and UT-Dallas (10-6-5) couldn't decide a winner after 110 minutes on the field, then went shot-for-shot over 16 combined penalty kicks in the shootout. Tiger goalkeeper Austin Wilman the ninth attempt by the Comets, then Chen Adjei chipped in the winner to send Trinity to the second round with a 9-8 shootout victory.
Each team scored once in each of the first two halves of play, but neither were able to add anything more in two overtime periods. The Tigers held a 27-14 advantage in overall shots, picking up 22 in regulation time. Trinity also held a decisive 11-2 edge in corner kicks, one of which led to the game-tying goal with less than 15 minutes left.
Michael Meese scored the opening goal with less than 15 minutes left in the first period, but UTD equalized in the final minute of the opening half. The Comets then shocked the Tigers with another goal early in the second half and held the lead until the 77th minute when Braden Shuey snuck in a goal on a corner kick from Jack Eubank.
After the two overtime periods, the teams lined up for penalty kicks to decide the advancing team. Shot after shot was buried into the back of the net and after five makes for each team, the shootout moved on. Neither keeper was able to turn away a shot until Wilman's save in the ninth round of action.
It is Trinity's second straight game that has gone to a shootout, as the Tigers were beaten 3-2 on penalties during the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship final just last weekend.
The Rundown
Wilman was put to the test early as he recorded two of his three saves in the game after 13-plus minutes of action. Trinity had three on-target shots after that to put the Comets goalie under similar duress. In the 34th minute of play, Adjei turned towards goal and sent a near-perfect through ball down the right side to find Will Powell streaking past the defense and towards the 18-yard box. Powell then turned inward and sent his pass across the face of the goal that brought the keeper out, and Meese was waiting far post to bury it for the Tiger lead.
Neither team had another shot in the first half until the final minute, when UT-Dallas netted the tying goal to steal a 1-1 tie going into the half. The Comets warded off an on-target shot from Adjei that was followed shortly after by back-to-back Trinity corner kicks to keep things level. The second of those corners was cleared by the UTD defense and it turned into a dangerous counterattack for the visitors. The Comets took the lead in the 52nd minute on the goal and were poised to deliver the upset to the weekend hosts.
Adjei had two more shots on goal with less than 20 minutes remaining, but it looked like UT-Dallas was going to come away with the win until the 77th minute of play. That's when Eubank's corner was swung into the box and Shuey was there for the tying goal that turned things around for the Tigers.
Trinity started the first overtime period with a near-goal that could have avoided the shootout if it weren't for a nice save by UTD. After UTD's clearance attempt was deflected, a switch by the Tigers put the ball at the feet of Eubank on the left side with plenty of space. His curling cross came down in the box for Adam Knutson, who knocked it towards goal but off the cross bar. Meese was right there with the header that would have given Trinity a lead just a minute into extra time, but the Comets keeper snagged it just in time. UT-Dallas nearly scored its own goal with just over three minutes left in the first OT period, but Wilman came out early and was able to hold off a breakaway with his kick save from well outside the six-yard box.
Neither team had much left for the second overtime and the game went to penalty kicks to decide which would move on to the next round, and the Tigers were able to pull out the shootout victory.
Up Next
Trinity will face off against Occidental College (CA) in the NCAA Second Round Playoffs tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. Occidental scored a late goal to defeat the University of St. Thomas by a final of 2-1 in tonight's other first round game hosted by Trinity.
