 |
|
---Dustin Downey's goal
in the second half gave the Norse a 2-1 lead, but Drury made the valiant
comeback with two late goals. |
By
Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information
Box
score
SPRINGFIELD,
Mo. – The
streak is over.
A strike from
three yards out by Drury’s Micah Whorton in
the 96th minute gave Drury a 3-2 overtime victory over the Northern
Kentucky University men’s soccer team on Friday night, the
first regular-season loss in 742 days for the top-ranked Norse.
The
loss was as big for No. 1 NKU (7-1, 3-1 Great Lakes Valley Conference)
as the win was for Drury (8-0, 5-0 GLVC). The defeat
snapped a 29-game regular-season winning streak as well as a 19-game
road unbeaten streak, which dated back to Oct. 30, 2005, when the
Norse fell to Indianapolis, 2-1.
The game also marked the first
time NKU has surrendered three or more goals to an opponent since
a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Rockhurst
on neutral ground in the 2005 GLVC Tournament.
The Panthers started
the scoring late in the first half when Steve Wilczewski took a
pass from Ben Nabers and put in a shot in from
five yards to tally his ninth goal of the season. The goal would
hold through intermission, as the Norse were outshot 9-2 in the
first half.
NKU’s Braden Bishop found his scoring touch in
the 55th minute, taking a through-ball from Seth Eckerlin to put
a shot past Drury’s
Logan Hoffman for his second goal of the season. Dustin Downey
put the Norse ahead just five minutes later with his first of the
season off a crossing pass from Anthony Meyer.
Ben Taylor drew the
game level once again in the 82nd minute off a free kick following
a caution assessed to Steven Beattie.
After calling a combined 20
fouls in the first half, the referee went to his book in an effort
to retake control of the game, charging
seven yellow cards and one red in the second half and overtime
period. Mike Jonca, booked for his second caution of the game in
the 92nd minute, was sent off the pitch to put the Norse a man
down in extra time.
The Panthers were able to take advantage four
minutes later with the game-winning tally.
Hoffman made
one save for Drury in the win, while NKU’s Michael
Lavric stopped two shots.
NKU will look to rebound on Sunday when
the Norse travel to face No. 20 Rockhurst. |