Box Score I
Box Score (.pdf)Â I
Photo Gallery
INDIANAPOLIS - Playing its latest home opener in school history, the IUPUI men's soccer team fell short in a 1-0 overtime thriller to Valparaiso in front of a crowd of 774 at Kuntz Stadium on Friday night. VU's Zach Stivers cut through the IUPUI defense before blasting a shot to the far post in the 93rd minute for the game-winner.
Valpo (4-0-1), which had allowed just one goal on the season coming in, continued to earn its defensive stripes on Friday by allowing the Jaguars just seven shot attempts in the win. Both of IUPUI's (2-3) shots on goal came in less than a minute span in the first half.
The first came in the 30th minute when
Perez Agaba rolled a lead pass to
Tyler Fritcha, who was sprinting up the left side. The junior took one controlled touch before hitting a rope right at VU goalkeeper Kyle Zobeck, who pushed the shot wide of the post. On the ensuing corner kick, sophomore
Joshio Sandoval bent a ball to the far post where Agaba's header was directed inside the far post. However a Valpo defender played the ball off the line and back into the field of play.
The IUPUI defense was similarly stingy through regulation, despite yielding 18 shots in the loss. VU captain Adrian Ortiz had a free kick hit off the crossbar in the 81st minute, representing the Crusaders best opportunity before overtime.
Valpo recorded the game-winner when Kevin Miller rolled a routine pass to Stivers, who began working through the right side. The VU forward maneuvered unimpeded into the IUPUI penalty box before drilling a shot past a defenseless
Tyler Keever from just over 10 yards out. Stivers led all players with five shot attempts and Agaba led the Jaguars with three tries.
Keever made four saves in defeat while VU's Ryan Schwartz got the win in goal in relief. Zobeck made one first half save before giving way to Schwartz at halftime.
IUPUI will return to action on Sunday afternoon when it travels to SIU-Edwardsville for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff. SIUE won last year's meeting 1-0 at Kuntz.
