INDIANAPOLIS- The UIndy men's soccer team made program history Sunday, earning its first-ever Great Lakes Valley Conference championship with a 3-1 win over top-seeded Quincy at the Hawks' Legends Field.
The Greyhounds (12-5-3) came into the tournament as the six-seed, and now hold the distinction as being the lowest seed in league tournament history to win the title. In addition, prior to this weekend's action, #3 Quincy led the nation in goals against average, having surrendered just eight goals on the year. The Greyhounds came in #10 on the same list, giving up a program-record 12 goals on the season before the weekend's play. The loss today was also the first of the season for Quincy (18-1-2).
"First half we came out strong and dominated the game," senior captain
Max Rohda said. "We came into the second half and had to dig in defnesively and really come together as a team. It's an amazing feeling making history at UIndy with this group of guys."
UIndy struck twice in the first half of play, both on corner kicks by
Zak Mitiche. The first score of the match came off the head of Rohda, at the 21:54 mark. The Greyhound captain took a corner from Mitiche to the far post, and headed it to the back of the net from about four yards out for his second goal of the year.
The Greyhounds went up 2-0 just seven minutes later, with
Ngwese Ebangwese this time heading Mitiche's corner home, from just in front of the center of the goal. The score was Wahsay's sixth of the year.
After the halftime break, the host Hawks notched their lone score, on Taylor Reis' fourth goal of the year. UIndy would seal the championship with a
Jacob Meyer score in the 82nd minute, with Meyer settling a ball from Ebangwese and
Daniel Wellmann, and sending it home from about 12 yards for his eighth goal of the year. Â
Quincy led the shots battle, 13-10, with Mitiche and Ebangwese each sending off a pair of shots in the match.
Andrew Verhonik earned his 35th career win in the UIndy goal, taking the Greyhound career mark in saves in the process. Verhonik, with his five saves versus Quincy, now has 217 career saves, besting the record of 214 set by UIndy alum Matt Spaulding.
UIndy now awaits the decision of the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Ranking Committee, as to its NCAA Tournament fate. The selections for the 2014 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championships will be announced Monday at 7:30 p.m. live on NCAA.com.
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