HAYS, KS – The Greyhounds have done the impossible.
The No. 9 seeded UIndy men's soccer team erased a two goal deficit with three goals in the final 20 minutes, including the game winner with just four ticks left on the clock to stun the No. 8 seed McKendree in a 4-3 thriller.
Goals from Lucas Bedleg, Lucas Binnebose and a McKendree own goal were how the Greyhounds got the job done in the second half, piling on a whopping 14 second half shots and being rewarded with three second half goals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Offense was the name of the game in this one, as the seven goals in today's contest are the most goals scored in a contest between these two teams since UIndy's 5-2 thrashing of the Bearcats in 2021.
Kabiru Gafar got the scoring started just five minutes in when Beko's flick found a streaking Gafar whose low driven shot beat the outstretched arm of Toby Lewis to give UIndy the 1-0 lead.
The Bearcats scored the game's next three goals, all in the first half, to claim a 3-1 halftime lead. But UIndy wasn't out of it, as Bedleg got the second half comeback started with 20 minutes remaining after
Gio Terlizzi's corner kick was deflected, and bounced to the feet of Bedleg, who fired home the goal to cut the Bearcat lead to just one.
Binnebose's headed effort on the goal line just barely found its way over the line, knotting the game up with just three and a half minutes remaining on the clock.
The decider came after an
Alvaro Sanchez cross that was swung into the six-yard box was deflected by a McKendree defender, and eventually trickled into the far side post with just four seconds left giving UIndy the win, and snatching an improbable win over McKendree.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Beko compiled a team high five shots in today's match, while Bedleg, Gafar and Sanchez nabbed three each.
- Bedleg scored his fourth goal in seven matches for UIndy.
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Keerti Unnamatla tallied six saves on the day, including a key stop in the 37th minute to keep the deficit at two for the Greyhounds.
- The two teams combined for 35 total shots, with 25 of those going from right to the left, the direction of the 20 mph plus gusting winds.
OTHER NOTES
These two teams played a similar contest in 2024, when McKendree scored on a corner kick with just one second left on the clock to steal a point from the Greyhounds at Key Stadium.
NEXT UP
The Hounds will remain in Hays, KS, and look to pull off another upset in its second round match up against the unbeaten No. 1 seed, Fort Hays State at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday Nov. 23.
