By: Illinois College rallied out of two deficits and then scored the game-winner in the final minute of a 4-3 victory.
Box Score
MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – The Illinois College men's soccer team closed the book on the 2017 season with a win to remember on Saturday, equalizing twice against Cornell College before securing the game-winning goal in the final minute of regulation for a 4-3 victory.
It was a busy day for both goalkeepers and Cornell found a way past
Ty Clearwater on the second shot of the match. In the seventh minute, a corner kick caused havoc in front of the Illinois College net and Maxwell Ishmael was in the right place at the right time to put Cornell out in front. That lead lasted only until the 18th minute when
Alexis Zazueta played a ball in for
Nick Copley, who dribbled wide of goalkeeper Jerome Richards and slotted home to knot the score at 1-1.
Later in the first half, Cornell went up a second time. This time it was Kean Johnsen who headed home from a chipped pass from the wing in the 33rd minute. The 2-1 advantage for the Rams lasted through to the halftime whistle.
The Blueboys wasted little time in leveling the score a second time once the second half began. Copley's second goal of the day, his fifth of the season, was helped by an assist from
Nick Roth in the 47th minute. Illinois College then took its first lead of the day in the 65th minute as
Brock Ziegemeier smashed home a rebound off of Richards after a long free kick from
Roger Mies.
Illinois College wouldn't hold the lead for long. In the 69th minute, Johansen notched his second goal of the day with assists from Michael Paquette and Logan Wright to tie the match at 3-3. Despite chances for each team as time ticked down, both Clearwater and Richards stood tall to keep the match on level terms. Overtime was looming as the clock ticked into the final minute of regulation time before Zazueta, in his final collegiate match, took a feed from Ziegemeier and nestled the ball home with 46 seconds remaining in the match. Cornell couldn't mount a response and the Blueboys were able to end their season with the 4-3 victory.
Clearwater closed his illustrious goalkeeping career at Illinois College with three saves in the match. Ziegemeier was responsible for five shots on the day, while Copley and
Ryan May each had four.
Saturday's match was the final one for Clearwater, Mies, Roth, Zazueta and
Jacob Nunez. The Blueboys end the year at 9-8-1 (4-4-1 Midwest Conference), while the Rams finish at 8-9-1 (4-5 MWC).
