GAME DETAILS
American Southwest Conference Championships Tournament – Quarterfinals
University of the Ozarks 1, Hardin-Simmons University 1
Eagles advance by virtue of 5-4 PK advantage
Records: University of the Ozarks (11-5-2), Hardin-Simmons University (14-3-2)
Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019
Abilene, Texas | HSU Soccer Complex
THE BASICS
In a classic battle between two of the premier American Southwest Conference teams since the league's inception, the Eagles advanced to the semi-finals of the ASC Championship Tournament by virtue of a 5-4 penalty kick advantage over Hardin-Simmons University Tuesday night. After two scoreless overtimes, the match went into penalty kicks, with each team making the first three attempts. Both teams then missed their fourth attempt and made their fifth attempt to make it 4-4. Richard Souffrant then nailed the sixth attempt for the Eagles to put pressure on the Cowboys. Goalkeeper Logan Valestin then made perhaps the biggest stop of his collegiate career diving to his right to keep Luke Braswell's shot out of the net and send the Eagles into a celebration frenzy. The Eagles had to muster a comeback as Hardin-Simmons took a 1-0 advantage by scoring in the 12thminute. Trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Eagles quickly evened the score 1-1 on an Alain Claude goal in the 47thminute. Lorfils Milord created the scoring chance by beating a pair of defenders down the line and crossing the ball to Claude, who took one touch and fired it past the Cowboy goalkeeper. The Eagles created 19 shots in the match. Charleus Emmanuel Ritch fired off a shot with nine minutes left in regulation, but the Cowboy goalkeeper just got a hand on it to keep it out of the goal. Valestin posted six saves.
"The whole match the boys played with heart and didn't give up after allowing that first goal," said head coach Aaron Brueckner. "They displayed tremendous resiliency and to come back like they did is a great accomplishment for this team. Logan and I have joked in the past that he hasn't made a PK save in a shootout match. So for him to make two PK saves in a shootout on the road in that type of pressure filled situation is unbelievable. He proved today why he is a captain and a leader on this team."
SCORING SUMMARY
11:33 – Cadet MacKenson
46:45 -Alaine Claude
KEY STATISTICS
Logan Valestin made a stop on the Cowboys' sixth PK attempt to secure the match.
OZARKS STARTERS
Logan Valestin (GK), Juan Cano, Richard Souffrant, Lorfils Milord, Charleus Emmanuel Ritch, Truman Hensley, Drew Mott, Harry Hilton, Chris Reyes, Alain Claude, Ruaya Zamora
OZARKS SUBSTITUTES
Peter Ralph Severe, Gaetan Jean Louis, Jackson Rogers
EAGLES' NEXT MATCH
The Eagles will play Texas Dallas November 8 in Richardson, Texas at 11:00 a.m.