UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The 2021 spring season for the Saginaw Valley State University men's soccer team ended with a heartbreaking loss in the semifinals of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Friday at Braddock Field.
On an extremely windy day, the No. 1 seed Cardinals fell to No. 5 seed Ashland University 1-0, with the Eagles getting the lone goal of the game on a penalty kick in the 68th minute. The loss ends the SVSU season with a record of 8-1-0 after the Cardinals claimed the regular-season GLIAC title.
SVSU had the wind at its back in the first half but failed to take advantage, as the game reached the break scoreless. Ashland picked up a red card in the 57th minute and played the rest of the way with 10 players.
Ashland took advantage of the wind in the second half, getting into the box and drawing a foul to create the penalty kick opportunity. Kieran Paterson scored his fifth of the season for the Eagles on the spot-kick, sending Ashland to Sunday's GLIAC Tournament title game.
SVSU outshot Ashland 11-5, while the lone shot on goal for the Eagles was the penalty kick goal.