THE RUNDOWN
The Patriots advance to the Lone Star Conference Championship Semifinals after a 3-2 win over West Texas A&M Saturday afternoon. Peyton Voelker scored the game-winning goal in the match's second overtime period to send DBU into a matchup with #11 Lone Star Conference leaders St. Mary's.
The Buffs came out strong in the first half, quickly making their presence felt with an early attempt that sailed wide left. WT dominated possession, forcing DBU to work overtime to withstand the Buffs' relentless pressure, as WT fired off five shots in a 20-minute span. The Buffs' fight in the end would pay off when they broke the deadlock, scoring the opening goal with a header off a corner kick. Garrett McGee made his first save of the night shortly after, as WT looked to add to their advantage. DBU had their first real chance to respond in the 20th minute when Avery Brazzell had a go in the box but his shot was off target. However, DBU the Patriots found their equalizer in the final minutes of the half as Blake Bauer equalized with a header off a well-placed corner from Evan Pustejovsky. to end the half tied, 1-1. The first half ended all tied up at 1-1, setting the stage for an exciting second half.
WT regained the lead early in the second half, taking a 2-1 advantage just four minutes after the break. Matteo Landais registered a brace with a right-footed strike through a crowd of defenders. The Patriots quickly responded, firing off two consecutive shots in search of an equalizer. Their persistence paid off when a foul by the Buffs awarded DBU a free kick in a dangerous position. Pustejovsky delivered the ball perfectly, setting Chase Turcotte up who delivered the shot, equalizing in the 54th minute. In the 60th minute, Avery Brazzell thought he had given the Patriots the lead but it was ruled offside, keeping the score tied at 2-2. Despite heavy attempts from both sides during the regulation period, the match remained deadlocked, sending it into overtime. After a tense 10-minute extra period, neither team found the back of the net, leading to another 10 minutes of sudden death overtime. It was Peyton Voelker who finally broke the stalemate, giving the Patriots the win with a right-footed rocket towards the net making the score 3-2 in overtime.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The Patriots advance to the LSC Semifinals where they will face top seed St. Mary's.
- The Patriots saw contributions from three different goal scorers in the match: Blake Bauer found the back of the net in the 43rd minute, Chase Turcotte scored in the 55th minute, and Peyton Voelker netted the game-winner in the 102nd minute.
- With his goal in the double overtime Peyton Voelker notched his 32nd career goal.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
3- Three DBU players played all 120 minutes on the pitch including,
Jack Golden,
Evan Lupo, and
Hunter Dierlam.
11- Evan Pustejovsky registered his 11th career assist.
14- The match saw 14 shots from the Patriots with seven on goal.
UP NEXT
The Patriots enter the Lone Star Conference Semifinals as they travel to San Antonio, Texas to face the No. 1 seed St. Mary's. Game time is scheduled for November 15 at 5:00 p.m.
