LIVONIA, Mich.- The Madonna University men's soccer team, who received votes in the most recent NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll, pulled out an important three points as they beat University of Northwestern Ohio 2-1 in overtime at the Madonna Athletic Complex on Wednesday afternoon. The Crusaders rise to 14-3 overall with a record of 9-1 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic play while the Racers drop to 12-3-2 overall and 9-1 in the WHAC as well. The win gives Madonna the tiebreaker atop the table in the WHAC with one game remaining.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• First Half

  • Right from the start it was a hotly contested match, with twelve fouls between the two teams in the first half.

  • Madonna managed to register the first shot of the game on a Marlon Freitas shot, but it was saved by Racer's goalie Mark McMillan.

  • The Crusaders nearly broke the deadlock in the 38th minute after a well-hit cross into the box nearly ended in a Freitas header goal, but he couldn't make the right connection as it just missed the right post.

  • The Racers struck first after their corner kick couldn't be cleared by the Blue and Gold defense. Mikhail Radchenko shot past a screened Joe Smith for the first goal of the game.

• Second Half

  • Both teams came out with high intensity, but the Crusaders struck back in the 61st minute on a penalty kick. Yuri Farkas stepped up and buried it into the bottom right corner for his 18th goal of the season.

  • Both goalies and defenses did their job well as the score ended in regulation at 1-1.

• Overtime

  • It only took six minutes into overtime to decide the game, as Marlon De Freitas finished a well worked play for the game winner. Yuri Farkas Guglielmi chested the ball down off a quick pass from Rodrigo Castro De Siqueira, and Freitas volleyed the ball far post for the golden goal.

INSIDE THE BOX

• Madonna outshot the Racers with 12 to their six and maintained that lead in shots on goal with seven to their three.

• Freitas led the Crusaders in shots with four, while Farkas and Caio Mazzo Nogueira were close behind with two shots each.

• Freitas made it four goals total on the season, while Farkas is averaging just over a goal per game with 18.

• Smith, Madonna's keeper, made two saves on the day.

UP NEXT

• Madonna will play their final game of the season against Cornerstone University at the MAC this Saturday, Oct. 27, with the chance to win the conference. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m.

• If Madonna and UNOH remain even on points after their last game of the regular season, the Blue and Gold would win the conference due to a head-to-head tiebreaker.

• Live coverage will be available via the Madonna Athletics Network at www.mucrusaders.com/live.    

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