Box Score The Peacock men's soccer team scored a pair of goals in a two-minute span in the first half of their match Thursday evening at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis. Despite the early success, the V-Hawks answered with two scores in a two-minute span in the
second half to match Upper Iowa. The home team forced overtime, and would eventually win it in the extra frame, 3-2. With the loss, UIU drops to 4-8 on the season, while the win improves Viterbo's mark to 2-8.
It was all Upper Iowa in the first half, scoring twice and leading in shots attempts (8-7). The offense found a way to score in the mid-way point of the first frame. In the 24th minute,
Alejandro Gota found the back of the net off a rebound from 10 yards away, putting the visitors on the board. Gota's first goal of the year sparked the Peacock offense, and they answered rather quickly. Two minutes later,
Blair Lyons beat his defender, and from 12 yards out in the upper 90, scored to put Upper Iowa up 2-0 in the blink of an eye. Lyons scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season, and gave the Peacocks what seemed to be a comfortable cushion.
The home team answered in the second half. Upper Iowa's backline held for the majority of the game, as UIU's 2-0 lead held until the 79th minute. Everything changed in a quick two-minute span. Viterbo's Anastasios Baltatzis sent a corner kick to teammate Sebastian Flores, who sent it past the post for his fourth score of the year. The V-Hawks wasted no time, as Flores sent a pass to Aaron Wagner in the 81st minute, and Wagner converted the equalizer and all of a sudden, the game was tied at two. The Peacocks rattled off three more shot attempts, but could not convert, and the match was headed for overtime.
Upper Iowa is no stranger to extra minutes, playing in their fourth overtime match of the season. UIU has had some bad luck in overtime this season, however, posting an 0-3 mark coming in to Thursday. That streak continued in Wisconsin. Viterbo's Jared Ewings received a pass from Wagner, and from 18 yards away, sent in the game-winning goal, and the home team celebrated a 3-2 win.
For the match, the V-Hawks held a 17-15 advantage in shot attempts, as well as a 6-3 hold on shots on goal and a 4-2 lead in corners.
Connor Rortvedt tallied three saves in net for Upper Iowa, but dropped to 4-8 on the year. Ben Kellner totaled just one save for Viterbo, and improved to 2-8 on the season.
The Peacocks have a week off before resuming MIAA play next Thursday, Oct. 20 down in Tahlequah, Okla. against conference-foe Northeastern State. UIU's kickoff with the RiverHawks is scheduled for 7 p.m. next week before they head to Bolivar, Mo. to battle the Southwest Baptist Bearcats on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. Upper Iowa defeated SBU earlier this season, and dropped to NSU in overtime, both in Fayette.
