Box Score Box Score
Records
Upper Iowa (8-7-2) || Lindenwood (17-0-2)
Recap
OLATHE, KS. – The Upper Iowa Men's Soccer team knows a thing or two about adversity. All year long, the team has been tested and they've responded admirably. That fact was apparent again on Thursday night as the Peacocks took blow after blow like it was a heavyweight fight, but they always got back up.
After trailing early,
Leandro Pena got after the Lions defense and drew a penalty kick with his aggressive style of play. He then netted his team-high seventh goal of the season in the 32nd minute of play which tied the game at 1-1.
Yet, the Lions' offensive onslaught continued. The Lions scored two unanswered goals – one in each half – to retake the lead then seal the 3-1 victory and advance to the MIAA Championship game against Fort Hays State. The loss drops the Peacocks to a respectable 8-7-2 this year, while the Lions remain undefeated at 17-0-2.
After the match, Head Coach
Jason Carlson raved about the effort put forth by his team. From the get-go, the Peacocks came out with a renewed sense of energy.
With a week of preparation under their belts, they were ready to take down the regular season conference champs. That mentality didn't fade either, despite an aggressive first half from the Lions.
Starting for the first time in his collegiate career, UIU goalkeeper #Andrew Rieckhoff got a taste of what one of the best offenses in the league can do. The first shot he faced was on goal, but he made the save. The next two were high before the defense blocked two more.
Finally, the Peacock defense broke down. The Lions created an opening and Ignacio Romero took advantage of it as he scored from the left wing.
The Peacocks answered right back thanks to Pena's aggressive play on the outside. The Lions tried to slow him down with a substitution, but it backfired. Pena got by the newcomer with fresh legs and Lindenwood was forced to foul. Pena made the ensuing penalty kick to knot the game up at 1-1. He has now made all four of his PKs this season.
The Peacocks were stellar again for the next 15 minutes not budging an inch on defense, but with just 30 seconds remaining before halftime they had a hiccup. The Lions converted a UIU mistake into points as Mauricio Medina scored his sixth goal of the season and Lindenwood took a 2-1 lead into the intermission.
Despite a strong second half, the Peacocks failed to find an equalizing goal. Being overly aggressive as time wound down, the Peacocks gave up one final score to the sixth-ranked team in the nation on a play where the defense was caught out of position.
The Peacocks suffered the loss which ends their 2013 season. They will now face their first offseason under Coach Carlson as UIU builds toward a bright future.
Stat of the Game
The Peacocks and Lions have met five times now in the last two years, but UIU has never managed a win. In the series, UIU has managed just two goals – both of which have come from Pena.
Sounding Off
Head Coach Jason Carlson After the Game…
On the Loss… "We came out with a ton of energy. Of the three games we played with Lindenwood, this was by far the game in which we played with the most confidence. We gave up an early goal off an opportunity they created, but man, we really responded well. We started knocking the ball around and we got after them – that was encouraging to see and I'm proud of my guys for that."
On the Lions' Goal Just Before the Half… "It was discouraging to end the half like that. We made a mistake in the back, and that was something we didn't do up until that point, but they are obviously a good team and they finished all of their opportunities today. I thought we did a good job moving past it in the second half. The game was never out of control and I really thought we were going to get that second goal – the guys were just working so hard."
On the Second Half… "I think [the Lions] really picked it up. Our guys responded well and we were going back and forth. We were getting good chances, but when we started pushing numbers forward we ended up giving up a third goal."
On Andy Rieckhoff's Play… "Not just from myself, but from his teammates as well, Andy earned a ton of respect today. He really filled some big shoes – Jordan's been the guy here for the last four years. To be able to come in and play well when you haven't played all season was just something else. You would have thought he'd been playing all year with his performance today."
On Leandro Pena's Goal… "Leandro had some success in their final third against their right back. They brought in a new guy, but it was the same story – we found Leandro one on one and he got into the box. The guy took him out pretty hard, but we got the PK. Leandro put it away, so it was a well-earned goal."
On the Season as a Whole… "We got together afterwards and I just expressed how proud I was of the guys and the effort that they gave today – they really put it all out there. I think they set the standard for next year. I mean, what a way to end the season – if you're not going to win the championship, then that was one heck of an effort from this team. I also gave a special thanks to the seniors and the leadership they brought to this program – that will be missed. This whole year has been filled with good surprises whether it's a player stepping up, or the team getting ranked regionally, or getting into the conference tournament. It's been a special season and I hope the guys will look back on it and be proud of what they achieved."
