2008 Woodie Awards
SectionsMen's soccer season ends in penalty kicks
Andrew Vorce
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: Sports
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In one of the longest games of the season, which lasted almost two hours, Missouri State lost 4-3 in a shootout against Evansville in the opening rounding of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament in Omaha, Neb. Wednesday night.
It was tied 3-3 after the five required penalty kicks for each.
In the sixth and decisive penalty kick, Harner scored for Evansville to force the Bears into a game-deciding attempt.
Sophomore defender Ryan Hennessey beat Evansville goalie Alex Dufty but had his shot hit the crossbar.
With 110 minutes of regular time played, Missouri State went into penalty kicks to decide who would advance in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Evansville was awarded the first shot, and Kieran Purcell, Cory Elenio and Dan Gibson scored. For Missouri State, sophomores Will Ziegahn and Johannes Demarzi and junior forward Henry Lawrence III scored.
After 90 regular minutes, the score was level at 2-2, and it appeared the Bears were destined to go into overtime.
In the final moments, the Bears tried to get the decisive goal with shots raining in from all directions, especially from Demarzi and Ziegahn, but none of them hit the back of the net.
Missouri State started the game the way they've wanted to all season - fast. Thanks to some creative passing in the sixth minute, a give-and-go from sophomore forward Kyle Windmueller and Demarzi, who beat Dufty to give the Bears their early lead.
The Purple Aces drew even 15 minutes later when one of their players was pulled down in the box. Gibson took the penalty kick, and got his third goal of the season.
In the space of ten minutes, the Aces continued to press, ultimately getting one over Missouri State with a pass from Purcell that found Mike Luttrull open for the header. The goal put the Aces up 2-1 at halftime.
Both teams seemed level at that point, and the Bears looked likely to have their season end. But Hennessy hit a ball to Ziegahn, who blasted a shot that Dufty was able to get a hand on, but it still deflected into the back of the net with two minutes left in the match.
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