Stats | With the Heart of America Conference regular season title on the line, MNU and Benedictine battled to a 1-1 draw Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field. Both teams entered the match with the potential to claim the title. Missouri Valley is also in the mix and they still have 2 conference games left to play. With so much on the line the match did not disappoint. In front of a packed crowd both teams left it all on the field and played a tremendous game.
The game started and Benedictine had the better of play for the first 20 minutes of the half. They implemented their game plan and it was evident that MNU was struggling to get their possession game going. Too many turnovers in the final third were making it hard for them to create a rhythm. Benedictine was taking advantage of this impatience and kept the ball on MNU's side of the field for a majority of the 20 minutes. This eventually paid off as a ball got knocked to the corner where BC's Guiherme Gomez collected the ball and sent a cross into the box for Joe Sbarro to head into the back of the net for the game's first goal. MNU responded very well and for the remainder of the half they controlled play. BC was limited to a single counter attack that came close to extending the lead. As it was you could feel the tempo beginning to change as MNU was much better in possession and began to create opportunities. BC's goalkeeper was forced into a magnificent save when MNU's
Trent Remmich got in behind for an open shot on goal. The ensuing corner kick is where MNU knotted the game up at 1.
Matias Fernandez served in a great ball for
Alvaro Beltran to head home. The half ended without either team creating another solid opportunity.
The second half was very similar to how the first half ended. MNU were controlling play and creating more chances. Benedictine were dangerous on the counter and with their set pieces. Neither team were able to create a lot of chances. Credit is due to each team's defensive players as they each stayed organized and managed the opportunities that came against them. Overtime seemed inevitable and it finally came. In the overtime periods both teams were pushing for the winning goal. MNU created more chances in the overtime periods but Benedictine's chances were of better quality. BC's goalkeeper, Taylor Vinnage, had 2 saves in the OT periods. Chris Eriksson for MNU was credited with 1.
For the game MNU outshot BC 18-10; with shots on goal being 7-5. Vinnage was credited with 6 saves. Eriksson had 4 saves for the match. Benedictine ends their regular season with an 11-2-3 (5-1-1) record. MNU's final regular season record is 11-1-6 (4-1-2). Next up is the conference tournament. Tournament seeds, schedules, and game times should be released on Thursday, November 1st.
