The Peacocks men's soccer team (10-6-2, 6-5-1 MIAA) needed a tie or win against Harding (4-9-3, 4-7-1 MIAA) to secure their spot in the four-team MIAA conference tournament, which will be played next Thursday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 8. UIU goalkeeper
Connor Rortvedt kept those chances alive as he made a diving save on a Harding free kick from just outside the box with 33 seconds left in the game, forcing overtime, tied at 1-1. In the second extra period, junior defender
Rhys Williams scored his second penalty kick goal of the day to cap off a second straight trip to the conference tournament with a win.
The match began slowly with neither team taking control. The first great scoring opportunity came 12 minutes in from junior forward
Jared Newman, who got a through ball behind the Bison defense and had a one-on-one with the HU goalkeeper. Newman's first effort was deflected by the goalie, but he was able to corral the rebound for a second attempt, which was blocked off the goal line by a Harding defender.
In the 39th minutes, the Peacocks finally broke through. Freshman midfielder
Johnny McBeth was fouled in the box and Williams beat the keeper on a penalty kick to put UIU up 1-0. It was the Cambridge, England, native's third goal on the season, all on PK's.
That lead wouldn't last long. One minute and six seconds later and the Bison tied it at 1-1. Senior midfielder Jason Stevens ripped a shot from the top of the box that caromed off the far post and into the back of the net.
The second half was all Peacocks as UIU outshot the Bison 10-2. The game, however, remained tied and following the Rortvedt save, headed for overtime.
UIU withstood an aggressive Bison attack in the first overtime, including a shot that appeared to beat Rortvedt but hit the left post and bounced out. Harding took six shots compared to the Peacocks' zero, but came up empty and the game headed for a second overtime.
Three minutes into the final period, junior midfielder
Jason Bishop was fouled in the box, giving UIU its second penalty kick of the game. Williams snuck it past the Bison goalkeeper, who got a hand on the ball but its momentum carried it into the side netting for the Peacock win.
Upper Iowa will now play their conference tournament semi-final match against Northeastern State at the College Boulevard Activities Complex in Olathe, Kan.
this Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. The Peacocks are 0-2 against the RiverHawks this season, falling 3-2 in overtime against NSU in Fayette and 4-1 in the match played in Tahlequah, Okla.
