Box Score

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside men's soccer team allowed a goal in the final minutes and dropped a 1-0 decision to Quincy University on Friday night. Quincy's Grant Ellison scored the game's only goal with 5:24 left to get the win for the Hawks. Parkside is now 1-2-0 in the GLVC and 3-2-0 overall while Quincy improved to 2-0-1 in the GLVC and 3-1-1 overall.

“They play a very effective style and they put the ball in the back of the net when they needed to make a play,” said head coach Jason Zitzke. “They're always tough in this league and tonight was no different.”

Ellison's goal, his first of the year, came off the foot of Ryan Seifert as Ellison won a foot race to the ball and was able to slide it by Ryan Onwukwe The Rangers got a corner kick of their own with 4:46 to go but couldn't get a shot on net. The Hawks were able to get two more shots on goal in the final minutes as they bled out the clock and captured the win.

The Rangers controlled the match early and put a flurry of shots on goalie Drew Duncan midway through the first half. Four of the Rangers eight shots on goal came in a four minute span but they were unable to get a shot past Duncan.

“It was an outstanding half for us. Definitely our best half of the season,” said Zitzke. “During that flurry their goalkeeper made about three point blank saves. We controlled a good portion of the first half and parts of the second half. And then they really came at us those last 15 minutes.”

The Rangers nearly struck gold in the opening minutes of the second half but, like Sunday, they had a shot bound off the post and stay out of the net. This time it was Collin Monahan who had one ricochet off the stanchion to keep the Rangers off the board.

“Collin blasted it off a rebound and had the keeper beat and just hit the post,” said Zitzke. “It was from a difficult angle but he really blasted it and almost got one.”

Spencer Bursten also had an opportunity to give the Rangers the lead but had a header fly over the cross bar with just under 15 minutes to go. Onwukwe kept the Rangers in the match recording eight saves on the evening.

“He had a great game,” said Zitzke of his keeper. “It's the second game in a row where our goalkeeper was outstanding and was let down by some defensive lapses.”
 
It was the second straight 1-0 loss in league play for the Rangers after falling at Indianapolis on Sunday. Both losses have come to teams that reached the GLVC Semifinals a year ago.

“There's no such thing as moral victories,” added Zitzke. “This was an NCAA Tournament team from last year but we need to get better at finishing. Both putting the ball into the net and also finishing the game and playing better those final minutes.”

Parkside will wrap up its road trip in Springfield, Illinois on Sunday. The men will kick off at 2:30 p.m. against the Prairie Stars.