Box Score
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside men's soccer team has been among the nation's best defensive teams all season. Friday night they got the early goal they've been waiting for and rode it to a 1-0 win over Drury University in Springfield, Mo. The Panthers came into the match at 8-4-0 in the GLVC (10-5-0 overall) and sitting in fourth place in the league. The Rangers improved to 5-7-1 in the GLVC (7-7-1 overall) and kept their playoff hopes alive.
“I have to blame myself a little bit,” said head coach
Jason Zitzke. “Today we played more of an attacking style and it's probably something we should have done sooner. All the credit goes to Coach Osmonovich for pushing me to be more aggressive.”
Neither team got a shot off in the match's first nine minutes before Drury broke the seal. The Panthers actually fired four of the game's first five shots before Parkside was able to swing momentum and start to create some action offensively.
Jose Alfaro and
Spencer Bursten each got shots within 30 seconds of one another to start to put some pressure on Drury keeper, Stephen Conner.
The Rangers then broke through in the 29th minute when freshman
Ryan Crane drilled one into the back of the net from nearly 30 yards away. Alfaro assisted on the freshman's second career goal and gave Parkside just its second goal on the road this season. The team is now 7-0-1 when scoring in 2010.
“It was a great combination play,” said Zitzke. “Crane played it to Alfaro. Alfaro turned, beat a defender, and laid it back to him. Beautiful play, beautiful finish.”
Parkside closed out the first half without allowing another shot from the Panthers. The period ending with UWP holding a 5-4 advantage in shots with Drury's last coming in the 21st minute.
The Rangers controlled play statistically through the first 20 minutes of the second half before Drury could mount an attack. The Panthers earned four consecutive corner kicks in just over a minute but could only create one shot as Parkside made the lead stick.
As time continued to tick away the Panthers had one more flurry the Rangers had to withstand. In a two-and-a-half minute stretch beginning in the 80th minute, Drury peppered
Nick Huftalin with five quick shots, four on goal, but the redshirt freshman was able to handle them all.
From there the stout Parkside defense was able to hang on and record the team's best victory of the season. Huftalin improved to 4-4 on the year as he earned his third shutout.
For the game, Drury ended up out-shooting the Rangers with each team putting four on goal.
“The guys talked about Parkside pride and about what it means to be part of what has always been a winning program,” said Zitzke. “They really responded today. The credit goes to the team and Coach Osmonovich.”
“It was a very good win against a good team on the road. Today is a good day.”
