Flyers Men’s Soccer advances to A-10 semifinals after penalty kick win
Pictured is the Dayton Men’s Soccer team. Photo credit Olivia Shirk for Flyer News.
Clare Mathews | Sports Editor
Saturday, the UD Men’s Soccer game was a hard-fought, back-and-forth game that concluded with a Flyer Win. The No. 6 Dayton Flyers traveled to Chicago to play the No. 3 Loyola Ramblers in the Atlantic-10 Conference Quarterfinals last weekend on Nov. 4.
The Ramblers were on top at halftime leading with a score of 1-0. In the 52 minute, a cross from Ousseynou Cisse was headed down to Sidike Jabateh’s feet by Manny Day; Jabateh, a sophomore from Monrovia, Liberia, was able to find the back of the net to tie up the score 1-1.
Less than two minutes later, Loyola took the lead again. In the 59 minute, the Flyers took advantage of a set-piece opportunity. Logan Brown, a graduate student from Dallas, sent a perfectly placed service into the box from a free kick just behind the half. Graduate student and Grandview Heights, Ohio native Manny Day took care of business with a beautiful header evening the score again.
After two scoreless overtime periods, the Flyers and Ramblers went into a penalty shootout. The Ramblers shot first and made their first two penalty kicks. The Flyers also converted their first two, thanks to Caetano and Cisse’s shots. On Loyola’s third shot, Dayton’s goalkeeper, Dario Caetano was able to get a touch on it, but after bouncing off his left forearm, the ball went into the side netting. The shot counted. After a shot from Jabateh, the shootout was evened with three for each team.
The Ramblers’ next shot hit the right post and bounced back toward the shooter, therefore, no goal. Casper Svendby, a sophomore out of Drammen, Norway, capitalized on his opportunity for a penalty kick, sending one straight down the middle and into the back of the net. The Ramblers made their next shot, but Logan Brown sealed the deal with the fifth penalty kick. Brown’s shot was at just the right angle and it had enough pace on it allowing it to hit off the crossbar and still get into the goal.
After a 2-2 game at the end of regulation, the Flyers secured the win in penalty kicks 5-4. The win over No. 3 Loyola sends the Flyers to Alumni Soccer Stadium where they will face No. 4 Davidson in the A-10 Semifinals on Wednesday. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The winner will compete for the Atlantic 10 Championship on Sunday, Nov. 12.