Mix’s header spoils Charger’s perfect season
MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University men’s soccer team defeated GPAC rival Briar Cliff University by a score of 1-0 Saturday afternoon from the Pepsi-Cola Sports Complex in Mitchell. The one-goal victory spoiled Briar Cliff’s perfect season who entered the match undefeated and first in the conference.
MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University men's soccer team defeated GPAC rival Briar Cliff University by a score of 1-0 Saturday afternoon from the Pepsi-Cola Sports Complex in Mitchell. The one-goal victory spoiled Briar Cliff's perfect season who entered the match undefeated and first in the conference.
The match opened with both teams poising threats on goal, however, neither team was able to find the back of the net. Diego Rangel (Queen Creek, Ariz.) fueled the Tiger's (3-7-1, 2-7-1 GPAC) attack taking multiple corner kicks in the first seven minutes of action. One such attempt found Lucas Bule (Buenos Aires, Argentina) near the net, though his shot on goal was saved.
It was the potent Charger (8-1, 6-1 GPAC) offense that continued to attack throughout the first half outshooting Dakota Wesleyan 11-1. Yet, reserve goalie Hunter Birozy (Norco, Calif.) and the DWU defense helped keep the match scoreless snagging six saves heading into the intermission.
Out of the break, Briar Cliff sustained its offensive momentum attempting four shots on goal in the opening 12 minutes. Regardless, Birozy and the Tiger defense kept the net clean collecting back-to-back saves.
The score remained unbothered well late into the second half when Dakota Wesleyan used just its second shot of game to find the back of the net shocking the Chargers. A header in the 81st minute by Ryan Mix (Sioux Falls, S.D.) off the assist from Grant Pierce (Safford, Ariz.) gave DWU the late margin. With under ten minutes to play, Briar Cliff was unable to piece together a goal handing the Tigers the 1-0 upset.
Briar Cliff outshot DWU a whopping 23-2, though Birozy tallied nine saves at the goalie position while Bule and Mix recorded the lone shot attempts for the Tigers.
The Blue and Gray return to the pitch with a matchup versus Presentation College at 2:00 p.m. next Sunday in Aberdeen, S.D.
