PORTSMOUTH – For over 109 minutes, men's soccer battled national No. 1 Rio Grande to a scoreless draw. However, a direct kick with 21 seconds would be the undoing to the Bears chance at getting a result against the NAIA's top team. It was a bitter reality to swallow for Shawnee State, who all afternoon seemed to make big play after big play on the defensive end of the field. Although the Bears defended 35 Red Storm shots, the Bears showed their counterpunch on several occasions as they looked to pull off the upset in front of the home crowd.
Case in point, no opportunity - for either side - was as good as the shot Jacob Hackworth took in the 76th minute of play. After beating the goalie and his defender, Hackworth shot at what appeared to be a wide open net. Then, out of nowhere, Rio Grande's defense swooped in and made the defensive save on a header to knock away SSU's goal bid. On the other side, Rio Grande twice thought it had an opportunity to celebrate the go-ahead goal in the second half. However, both times they were greeted with the line judge's flag up in the air, signaling that they were offside. Additionally, Thomas Carbonari saved 13 shots in goal to anchor the solid defensive effort.
The visiting Red Storm took 12 shots in the opening half compared to SSU's two. Carbonari was in position to stop everything. Meanwhile, the Bears had their first chance of the game in waning seconds. After a Dylan Stevens shot on goal, the Bears earned a corner kick with time running down. However, with the rushed corner could not put anything on goal. Despite no clean shots, the offensive push near the end of the half gave SSU confidence heading into the second half where the Bears took seven shots in the second 45 minutes.
Right out of the gates, Joseph Webster and Nick Dowdell each sent shots wide as the Bears picked up the offensive intensity. That intensity reaching its boiling point in the 51st minute when Dowdell collided with Rio Grande's goalie as the Red Storm attempted to clear the long pass. The Red Storm's keeper took exception to the collision and slammed Dowdell to the turf. Both players were sent off with straight red cards and the sides played 10-v-10 for the remainder of the contest.
Webster would put his second shot of the day on goal before Hackworth's shot was blocked by the non-stop defensive effort of Rio Grande. The Bears would be undeterred as Luke Purpero put his first shot of the afternoon wide of the goal in the 87th minute, while Chad Johnston had has first shot saved in the final minute of regulation.
In the first overtime, SSU's first chance was ended prematurely when the Bears were caught offside just two minutes into the overtime. Rio would take the only two shots of the first extra time, forcing Carbonari to make one stop. The Bears would earn the only corner of the 10-minute session, but could get no offense off the set piece.
In the second 10-minute frame, Rio Grande had the early chance with a corner that never developed when the Red Storm were called for a foul. They would also earn a second corner with four minutes remaining. Nonetheless, more strong defense prevented any shots. The Bears final chance at the upset came when Purpero made a run with the ball from midfield down into Rio Grande's defensive 18. His attempt from close range would be saved though as just over a minute and a half remained. That left just enough time for Rio Grande to transition back downfield. The Bears were then called for the foul just outside of the 18, crushing the home team's hope of coming away with the result.
The Bears finished the game with 10 shots and put six on goal, while Rio had 35 shots with 14 on goal. Webster and Dowdell each finished with two shots, while Johnston, Purpero and Stevens each took one.
The Bears will be on the road this weekend at Campbellsville. That game is slated for an 8 p.m. start and we be played as the second game of a doubleheader alongside the women's team.
