SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The UT Dallas men's soccer team post-season run came to an end Saturday night in a shootout after a 2-2 tie against Trinity (Texas) at Paul McGinlay Field. The host Tigers (12-2-4) eliminated the Comets (10-6-5) from the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in the First Round in a penalty kick shootout, 9-8.
Trinity landed the first blow of the match when Michael Messe scored in the 34th minute on assists from Will Powell and Chen Adjei. UTD tied the game with 48 seconds left in the opening period when keeper
Michael Hesse booted a strong kick down field and found senior forward
Luke Deats who put the ball in the corner of the net.
The Comets went up 2-1 in the 52nd minute after
Riley O'Donnell knocked in a corner kick deflection with his left foot. The Tigers scored the equalizer in the 77th minute on a Jack Eubank corner kick that was knocked in by Braden Shuey.
In the 20 minutes of overtime, Trinity took five shots with two on goal, while UTD managed three shots and one on goal.
The shootout last nine rounds with both teams making the first eight. The Comets try in the ninth round was saved by Austin Willman and Adjei ended the night by hitting the Tigers' ninth attempt.
For the game, TU outshot UTD 27-14 overall and 11-5 on goal. The Tigers also led 11-2 in corner kicks and UTD had more fouls, 7-5.
UT Dallas Notes
- The official tie was the first for the Comets in the NCAA Tournament.
- Deats' goal was his sixth of the season, tied for second most on the team.
- O'Donnell recorded his team-leading seventh goal of the season. He also moved into seventh place on UTD's career goals list with 28.
- Hesse recorded his third assist of the season and a career-high nine saves.
-
Luke Harris took two shots on goal.
-
Josh Zemanski also recorded a shot on goal.
- Zemanski,
Kayson Marriott,
Julio De Los Reyes and
Cayden Casburn logged all 110 minutes.
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Kane Kidwell, O'Donnell,
Leo Castro, Deats,
Gavin Smith,
Alex Mutalibov,
Benny Lube and Casburn each made their penalty kicks in the shootout.
Trinity Notes
- The Tigers advance to Sunday's Second Round contest and will face Occidental.
- Adjei took five shots, three on goal and Adam Knutson had eight shots, two on goal.
- Meese recorded three shots on goal, Shuey took two and Louie Instrall had one.
- Eight of Trinity's field starters played all 110 minutes.
- Willman made three saves.
