The Aurora University men's soccer team scored twice in the second-half of the 2022 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament semi-final contest with Milwaukee School of Engineering to defeat the Raiders 2-1. AU took a 1-0 lead at 69:35 and again with 3:36 to play to survive and advance in the NACC tournament.
Branden Dolezal scored the game winning goal to secure the Spartans victory.
FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 2, Milwaukee School of Engineering 1
LOCATION: Spartan Athletic Park - Montgomery, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 9-3-6 overall and 7-2-3 in the NACC; Milwaukee School of Engineering 12-3-4 overall and 7-2-3 in the NACC
- The first-half was a scoreless one between the Spartans and Raiders with neither team having a significant scoring chance.
- 7:23 into the second-half, the Spartans appeared to take a 1-0 lead but were ruled to be offsides and negating the goal.
- In thr 69th minute of the contest, Spartan
Alex Arriaga fed a sprinting
Anthony Marmolejo who beat the Raider keeper five hole for the go ahead goal.
- In the 77th minute, AU keeper
Jalen Depenbrock and a Raider forward collided in the box with Depenbrock being called for a foul and MSOE pk attempt.
- Depenbrock stoned the pk shot but the rebound was put home to tie the game 1-1 with 12:41 to play.
- Each team traded shots that were blocked of saved in the following 10 minutes, setting up the electric final four minutes of play.
- AU was awarded a corner kick with 3:46 to play in the half and after a Raider defender deflected the pass in the box the ball found Spartan
Branden Dolezal.
- Dolezal slammed his shot attempt into the back of the net and AU led 2-1 with 3:36 to play.
- The Spartans were able to run out the final minutes and defeat MSOE for a second time on the season, winning 2-1.
GOALS: Branden Dolezal and
Anthony Marmolejo (1)
ASSISTS: Alex Arriaga (1)
SAVES: Jalen Depenbrock (4)
Next action for the Spartan men's soccer team comes on Saturday, November 5 when they host the 2022 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament Championship game. AU hosts #5 Benedictine University. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. at Spartan Athletic Park in Montgomery, Illinois.
