LIVONIA, Mich. - The Madonna Athletic Conference was home to an exhilarating Top 20 matchup today, adding fuel to what is already a high-stakes rivalry game. The No. 20 Madonna Crusaders (10-1-2, 7-0) hosted the No. 18 Indiana Tech Warriors (8-1-2, 7-0). With both of these powerhouses undefeated in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference coming into today, this matchup would determine the first-place standings in the conference with only a few games remaining until the postseason kicks off. In what turned out to be nothing short of an all-time classic, both teams would walk away still undefeated in the conference, with the game ending in a 2-2 tie.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Warriors came out the gate playing incredibly aggressive, trying to put pressure on the Crusader defense. The Crusader defense would hold them out, getting pressure of their own as both of these talented rosters tried to feel each other out early. Midway through the first half, the Warriors would break through the stalemate with the game's first goal.
With just under five minutes to play in the first half, it was the freshman
Bernardo Teston who was able to get the Crusaders on the board with a ricochet off of the crossbar, tying the game at 1-1.
Coming out of the break, the game would continue to be a chess match between these two Top 20 teams. The half would remain scoreless for nearly thirty minutes before the Warriors would crack the code on a corner kick to take a 2-1 lead.
Just when it seemed that the tables had turned, the Crusaders would get perhaps the biggest goal of their season when a free kick from
Daniel Watkins would ricochet off the crossbar to tie the game at 2-2 with less than twelve minutes to play.
That goal would end up being the deciding goal of the game, ending in a 2-2 tie.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Teston and Watkins each had one goal and one shot on goal.
- Goalkeeper Alfonso Henrique recorded one save.
UP NEXT:
The Crusaders will head down the road to Howell, Mich. to take on Cleary University (6-6-1, 3-3-1) on Oct. 16. The match is slated for 2:00 pm this upcoming Wednesday.
