CLARKSVILLE, Arkansas - Facing a two goal deficit early in the second half, the LeTourneau University men's soccer team would score two goals in the final 20 minutes of regulation before playing an additional 20 minutes of scoreless soccer to come away with a 2-2 draw at the University of Ozarks at Hurie Soccer Field in Clarksville, Arkansas on Thursday, October 12th.
The YellowJackets have now picked up points on the road in four consecutive American Southwest Conference matches to move to 2-5-4 overall and 2-2-2 in the ASC while the Eagles now stand at 6-4-1 and 3-3-1 in conference play.
Opportunities came early and often in the first half as Ozarks would strike first with a goal in the 11th minute by Thomas Ross into the upper left corner off an assist from Micheal Luster. Trailing by a score of 1-0 midway through the half,
Guillermo Torres and
Alec Wier would each fire off one shot, but see their shots sail wide and high of the goal as the Eagles would cling onto a 1-0 lead at intermission.
In the second half, the U of O would wind up scoring at nearly an identical point in the half with a goal coming from Sean Garcia at the 57:17 mark to make the score 2-0 and put the YellowJackets in their largest hole of the season. Heart and determination would take over for LeTourneau after giving up a second goal as
Porfirio Benitez and
Eduardo Barron each let off shots that would miss in the 61st and 62nd minutes, but give LETU hope as the offense was starting to find opportunities.
The 71st minute would find junior
Edward Solis sending the ball into the box from 30 yards to Wier who would manage to get up higher than the rest of the players in the box and put his head on the ball and redirect it past Eagle goalkeeper Logan Valestin to cut the Ozarks lead in half. LETU would keep the pressure on the Eagles as time would start to wind down and the opportunities become fewer and fewer.
A foul on each team in the final minutes of the game allowed for the YellowJackets to take a free kick from 25 yards out with just over three minutes left in the game. Benitez would be called upon to take the free kick and bend it around the Ozark wall and beat Valestin to give LeTourneau the equalizer they were looking for with just 2:14 left in regulation.
With the game winding up going to overtime, a total of three shots (two by LeTourneau) would be all that would be had in the extra 20 minutes of play. The three total shots would end up being harmless to both squads, giving the YellowJackets a hard fought road point and their fourth tie of the year.
"We showed a lot of character battling back from a two goal deficit today" said head coach
Matthew Haesecke in a post-game interview. "We had the run of play in the second half and overtime, and I am extremely proud of this team for not giving up."
LeTourneau held a 14-11 advantage in shots on goal as the Eagles put up seven corner kicks compared to six for the YellowJackets. Benitez led all players with five total shots while scoring his first goal of the year. With a goal in the 71st minute, Wier has now scored in three consecutive games.
LETU will look to continue their ASC point streak on Saturday, October 14th by closing out a six-game road trip with a 6 p.m. match at the University of Texas-Tyler. The Patriots are 5-2-3 overall and 4-1-1 in the American Southwest Conference heading into a home match Thursday night at East Texas Baptist University.
