ST. PAUL, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Men's Soccer team was at Reynolds Field on Thursday night, hosting Crown in the conference home opener. The Eagles turned in their best and most complete performance to date in the young 2022 season, defeating the visiting Polars 3-1.
The Eagles would turn in an extremely impressive performance in front of their home fans, but it would take them a little while to get warmed up. The first goal of the game went to Crown, when they knocked one in around the 23 minute mark. The Polars were able to hold on and take that 1-0 lead into the half.
The first half of play was extremely even between the two UMAC schools. The Eagles had five shots in the first half to Crown's four, and each team had three saves in the first frame.
However, whatever Head Coach
Greg Wheaton and his staff said to the Eagles in the locker room worked wonders because UNW came out red hot in the second half. The field tilted towards the Crown net as the home team was able to possess the ball for the majority of the second frame. UNW outshot Crown 14-3 in the second half.
Those possession numbers came to fruition as the Eagles cashed in on all of those shot attempts and began to mount a comeback. The equalizing goal came from
Nathan Martinez (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee), who scored what was not only an important game tying goal against a conference opponent, but what was also the first goal of his collegiate career. The goal came off of a header from the freshman, who knocked in a beautiful cross from
Joey McMillin (Hugo, Minn./Centennial) who was credited with the assist.
In the 75
th minute, the Eagles would get the goal that would end up being the game winner.
Alejandro Alfaro (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) delivered an extraordinary cross into the box where there was a lot of traffic waiting for it. The highest jumper of the bunch would be sophomore
Tim DeLoye (Wausau, Wisc./Wausau West) who skied up into the air and headed the ball into the back of the net. The goal was the first of the season for DeLoye and gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
DeLoye and the Eagles would not stop there. In the 89
th minute, UNW would tack on some insurance. DeLoye sent a ball deep that got in behind the Polars' defense, and
Jonathan-Thomas Olsen (Modesto, Calif./James Enochs High) streaked towards it. Battling a Crown defender, Olsen was able to win the race, get a foot to the ball, and chip it barely over the goaltender's outstretched hand for the goal. The Eagles would win 3-1.
In addition to the strong offensive performance,
Andrew Skoglund (Northfield, Minn./Skoglund Academy) was excellent between the pipes for the Eagles making six saves in the contest.
UNW will be back at home on Saturday, September 24
th when they host Minnesota-Morris in a Homecoming Saturday matchup. The game is scheduled for 6:30 P.M.
