COLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER: For the ages, Oakland rallies back from three-goal deficit to down league-leader Cleveland State
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
Simply Epic: Oakland University Men’s Soccer team celebrated the game-winning goal with 1:33 remaining as part of a four-goal comeback and 4-3 victory over Cleveland State. Courtesy Photo / Oakland University Athletics, Jose Juarez.
ROCHESTER HILLS — Like the flip of a switch.
After trailing Horizon League-leading Cleveland State 3-0 after nearly 68 minutes of play Saturday, Oakland University roared back with an improbable four goals in the final 22:02 in the Golden Grizzlies’ 4-3 Homecoming victory over the Vikings.
The win moved Oakland in third place in the conference behind Cleveland State (15 points) and Milwaukee and was just what the doctor ordered for a team that had been shut out twice in less than two weeks and three times this season.
“I don’t know if Oakland has ever come back from three goals like that,” admitted Eric Pogue, who is in his 13th season as head coach and 21st campaign overall in the program. “This could be the type of win that could have a big impact on our season and be a big momentum changer. We could have just gave up but we were resilient and found a way to come back on a team that was unbeaten in our league. We had some injuries to key guys and we had to play a bunch of younger players. We showed how much depth we have on this team.”
Senior midfielder Noah Jensen scored the game-tying and game-winning goals for Oakland (4-5-2, 3-1-1) and Dawsun Schrum and Charlie Braithwaite also scored in one of the Golden Grizzlies’ greatest comebacks in the 49-history of the school’s men’s soccer program.
It was Jensen — an All-America Second Team selection last season — who provided the late heroics with just 1:33 to play. Freshman Robbie Cleary floated a long free kick into the box and Owen Smith flicked the ball back into the center of the box to an awaiting Jensen, who left no doubt with his shot during a wild scrum within the mixing bowl.
“We never gave up,” smiled Jensen. “After Kieran Hayes got hurt we didn’t have a lot of size on the field and we wanted to get as many guys into the box on the play and try to score. I was able to put it in when the ball came over to me.
“I don’t think we’ve ever done that before (score four goals to come back and win), at least since I’ve been here,” continued Jensen. “It’s just a testament to how hard we work and how we believed we could win even being down 3-0.”
Down but not out, Oakland’s epic comeback was fueled by several second-half substitutions and once the Grizzlies were able to dent the Vikings’ lead, the momentum swiftly changed.
Schrum, a senior, scored the first goal with 22:02 remaining. Cleary’s long pass to Sebastian Nuzzo was redirected over to Schrum, whose shot sailed just over the goal line.
Oakland scored less than three minutes later when Braithwaite booted home his opportunity with 19:42 to go. Jensen and freshman Kai Garvey provided helpers on the play to trim the deficit down to one goal.
Jensen scored just his second goal of the campaign with 16:24 remaining in the clash when he blasted a free kick from 21 yards out in front of the goal that deflected off Cleveland State’s defensive wall and into the net.
That set the stage for the game-winner in the 89th minute.
“I think its been tough on Noah this year because he’s been targeted a lot this season. I think he is one of the most fouled players in the entire NCAAs,” offered Pogue. “I think every team is trying to mark Noah out of the game to beat us. We haven’t quite figured that out yet as a team. But That’s been tough on Noah but he sure came through with a great performance for us in the second half.”
Cleveland State held a 19-15 shots advantage in the game and built a 1-0 lead by the half when sophomore Began Kolevski converted a penalty kick with 6:23 left in the first half.
The Vikings (6-5-1, 5-1-0) added to its lead when Kolevski set up senior Jannis Schmidt with a feed on a counterattack 3-on-2 rush and Schmidt buried his opportunity with 36:27 still to play.
Cleveland State padded its lead with another counterattack goal with 26:44 to go when Kolevski tallied his second goal of the contest off a pass from Schmidt.
The Vikings could sustain its attack and could not stave off Oakland’s wild comeback.
Junior Finn Jurak made two saves in the win for Oakland, which actually held an 8-5 edge with shots on frame and a 5-1 differential in cornerkicks.
Omeed Naeemy made four saves in the loss for Cleveland State.
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