Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Top of WIAC, four games left

Oct. 22, 2014  By Justin St. Peter

Fans of the Warhawks men’s soccer team have to wonder if they have forgotten what it feels like to lose.

Since a 4-3 overtime loss on Sept. 24 against Carthage College, the ’Hawks have either won or tied seven games in a row.

“The team is gelling and coming together and playing their best soccer at the right time of the year,” head coach Tony Guinn said.

The ’Hawks began the week by blowing an early lead, but then hitting a late goal to ensure a 3-3 tie on Oct. 17 against the UW-Superior Yellow Jackets. They then beat the Finlandia University Lions 4-0 on Oct. 18.

In the Superior game, there were six goals scored in the second half.

Senior midfielder John Gottwald posted his conference-leading eighth assist of the year when he found junior forward Sam Novak in the 49th minute to begin the scoring barrage.

Senior midfielder Ty McCoy scored in the 52nd minute to give the ’Hawks a 2-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets then scored in the 64th minute and 79th minute to knot the game up at two.

Guinn said the Yellow Jackets earned a controversial penalty kick in the 89th minute on a slide tackle in the box. The Yellow Jackets then scored the go-ahead penalty kick to take a 3-2 lead over the ’Hawks.

When the ’Hawks needed an answer to keep their unbeaten streak intact, they did.The ’Hawks earned a corner kick with a few seconds left.  Junior defender Jordan Wilkins headed the ball off the crossbar. The ball deflected to sophomore forward Justin Stanko who blasted it through the net to send the game into overtime.

“Once again, this group of guys doesn’t give up,” Guinn said. “I just felt like it wasn’t over.”

Senior defender Ryan Reid described it very similarly.

“I was on the back post waiting for the ball to come,” Reid said. “We stacked the box and brought everyone up with 38 seconds left. It was like a Hail Mary in soccer.”

In overtime, neither team could push the winning goal across.

Senior goalkeeper Josh Rohde recorded eight saves and played the entire 110 minutes.

The ’Hawks then traveled further north to Finlandia (Michigan) the following day. The Hawks outshot the Lions 41-8, with 24 of their shots being on goal.

Freshman defender Alex Bull recorded his first career assist when his pass found forward Robert Jones who headed in his first career goal in the 10th minute. Senior midfielder Michael Montanye found Gottwald in the 52nd minute to give the ’Hawks a 2-0 lead.

Junior forward Michael Salm found freshman midfielder Kyle Clancy in the 67th minute for the Warhawks third goal of the game. It was also Clancy’s first career goal.

In the 83rd minute, Gottwald scored his second goal of the game to give the ’Hawks their coveted fourth goal.

For the ’Hawks, it was important to have the four-goal win, as it gave them a better goal differential over UW-Superior. Because they tied the Yellow Jackets and Superior only beat Finlandia 1-0, the ’Hawks own the tiebreaker with two games left in WIAC play.

The ’Hawks will host the University of Chicago at 3 p.m. on Oct. 25 at Fiskum Field for the first of four home games to close out their season.

The ’Hawks lost 1-1 last year, after giving up the game-winning goal with a few seconds left in the game on the road last year.

“I think we all have a bitter taste in our mouths,” Reid said. “We are all really looking forward to this game.”

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Founded 1901
Top of WIAC, four games left