KENOSHA, Wis. -- The SVSU Men's Soccer team got a pair of goals from sophomore forward Michael Hamilton, the second coming with only three minutes left in double overtime, to win the 2018 GLIAC Regular Season Championship with a 2-1 victory at Parkside.
The Cardinals prevailed in the contest to move to 9-1-5 overall on the season and 7-1-3 in the GLIAC. The Rangers fall to 9-6-1 and 7-4-1 in league action.
In the closely-contested match, the score stood at a 0-0 stalemate through the first 70 minutes of action. The first crooked number on the scoreboard came when Alex Gloshen found Michael Hamilton to give the visitors a 1-0 edge at the 70:37 mark.
The Rangers responded to tie the match at 1-1 at the 82' marker as Jack Mittelsteadt scored for the home squad.
That score remained throughout regulation, sending the Cardinals to their eighth overtime match of the season.
SVSU fired-off five shots in the first OT session and Parkside had one, but those 10 minutes went by without a goal and on to the double overtime session.
The Cardinals held it to the gas in double overtime, getting more solid opportunities before Hamilton knocked-in the game-winner on a rebound off Michael Shaikly's shot to seal the championship, 2-1.
Inside the Boxscore
- The Cardinals have now claimed their fourth GLIAC championship and second in the last three years.
- Hamilton's two goals ties him for the team lead with six.
- Gloshen now has a team-best six helpers that ranks second in the GLIAC.
- Shaikly's assist was his first of the 2018 campaign.
- SV had 18 shots in the match compared to Parkside's 10, posting a 7-4 edge in shots on goal.
From Head Coach Andy Wagstaff...
"This group of young men continue to raise their game to every single challenge that they face. Today was such a hard game for us to play against a very strong UWP team that had the chance to win the conference at home on the senior day. When we went a goal ahead I felt like we had done enough to hang on but unfortunately conceded with just 8 mins to go. I could see our heads go down as the time ticked down but we managed to get them back up for it in OT.
We have been in 8 OT games this year and it simply didn't phase our team when we entered into another one. I felt that today we showed courage, bravery and togetherness as a group and that is all you can ask for as a coach.
It's nice, very nice to win the GLIAC which is such a hard league to win, but we can enjoy this moment then refocus for a tough trip to Ashland on Friday which is a very big match from a regional ranking perspective."
Up Next...
Saginaw Valley has secured the right to host the 2018 GLIAC Tournament and has a bye to that semifinal round. The Cards travel to play at Ashland Friday (Oct. 26) in a 1:30 p.m. contest.
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