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INDIANAPOLIS - Junior back Tommy Patacca did a little bit of everything on Saturday (Sept. 28), capped off by scoring the game-winner in a thrilling come-from-behind 2-1 win over Green Bay at Carroll Stadium. Patacca got on the receiving end of a Pedro Valladao cross and hammered a header into an open net, keeping the Jaguars undefeated in Horizon League play to start the year. 

"(I'm) just ecstatic. It was rewarding," Patacca said. "One of our goals that we set at the beginning of the season as a team is that we stay undefeated at home. It meant a lot of us to get this win, to get three points and to start 2-0 in the Horizon League - that's huge."

After a scoreless first half, IUPUI (3-3-1, 2-0 HL) went down a goal in the game's 54th minute as Ezau Millan got free and blasted a shot from distance past sophomore goalkeeper Quinn McCallion. The Jaguars' back line lost track of Millan and Kevin Cela sent him a pass, setting up a strike from the top of the 18 for the day's first score. 

McCallion had been perfect up until that point, including a brilliant diving stop on an Andre Baires restart early in the second half. 

Green Bay's (1-5-2, 0-3 HL) lead lasted exactly 42 seconds before IUPUI retaliated with Alan Aguilar's third score of the season. Senior Yan Souza played freshman Freddy Kirezi into space up the left-hand side and the rookie burner was able to turn the corner before reaching the endline. Kirezi rifled a cross to the far post to Aguilar, who redirected a shot past Green Bay keeper Jamison Yoder. 

"Lately this season, we've been needing a little kick to get us going," Patacca said. "Seeing one go in our own net really lit a fire under us and got us to push ourselves 110 percent to get that one right back."

Even as the game opened up at both ends, things remained deadlocked. Fernando Borges tested Yoder with a strike in the 81st minute and was a thorn in the side of the Phoenix defense throughout the day. 

In the first overtime, it appeared as though Souza would be primed for the game-winner in the 99th minute as he went unmarked into the penalty area and was on the receiving end of service from Valladao, but hit a diving header right at Yoder. Patacca also seemingly had the winner in the first overtime when he redirected a Gianni Catenacci restart inside the post, but was immediately called offsides by the linesman. 

IUPUI finally gained the full three points with just precious minutes left in the match. Catenacci lofted a corner kick to the far post to Corey Goede, who flicked a header back to Valladao. Valladao quickly returned service back across the grain to Patacca, who drove a shot past Yoder for his fourth career goal and first-ever game-winner. 

The goal made a victor out of McCallion, who closed with four saves against 19 shots faced. Patacca had a game-high four shot attempts, putting two on target. 

Yoder closed with four saves for the Phoenix. 

It marked IUPUI's second straight overtime win over Green Bay as the Jaguars also eliminated the Phoenix from last year's Horizon League Tournament with a 3-2 overtime win in Wisconsin. 

The Jaguars will return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 1 when they hit the road to face Eastern Illinois in non-conference action.