By: A 90th minute goal from Bohlt Hamrick was the difference in a crucial 1-0 win for Illinois College on Sunday morning.
Box Score
ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Illinois College men's soccer team controlled the action on Sunday, but it wasn't until
Bohlt Hamrick ripped the net with a goal in the 90th minute that the Blueboys gained separation from Beloit College for a 1-0 win. It was another vital three points for IC, keeping the team just two points removed from the final spot in the top four in the Midwest Conference. Illinois College moved to 8-6-1 (3-2-1 MWC) with the win, while Beloit sank to 4-9-0 (1-5-0 MWC).
It was a difficult turnaround for the Blueboys on Sunday, who were forced to play a match that started at 8 a.m. after competing in a 3:30 p.m. match on Saturday. Meanwhile, Beloit's match on Saturday was entirely rained out, so the Buccaneers came in as fresh as a team can with as early of a start as the sides were made to play.
Despite the fatigue, Illinois College took eight shots to Beloit's five in the first half and required Beloit goalkeeper Jere Bauer to make three saves in the first half. None of the five Buccaneers were on frame, so it was a relatively quiet opening 45 minutes for
Ty Clearwater.
Pressure mounted on Beloit's defense in the second half. Illinois College took 17 shots after the break to just four for the Buccaneers. Three of those Beloit shots were on target, but Clearwater made the stop on all of them. Though IC dominated possession and heaped trouble onto Beloit's back line, the match appeared headed for overtime until Hamrick unloaded a shot past Bauer with only 46 seconds left to put the Blueboys ahead and give them the victory.
Roger Mies with credited with nine shots in the match, while Hamrick took five.
Brock Ziegemeier had four, including two on target, while
Nick Copley had three and
Ryan Kruger had two.
Illinois College returns home for a mid-week battle against Knox College at England Stadium on Oct. 18. The first kick is slated for 4:30 p.m.
