For the second time in as many days, the University of Redlands men's soccer team rallied back to win in the NCAA Division III Championships, with Sunday's 2-1 result coming against the host DePauw University Tigers in Greencastle, IN. After a scoreless opening half, the Tigers jumped on the board early in the second stanza, before the Bulldogs stepped up their intensity to convert two offensive opportunities and secure the win.
DePauw got off the first shot only 24 seconds into the game but it went wide right. Although seven different Bulldogs registered a shot in the first half, only one went on frame, as junior defender Keoni Yates (Kailua-Kona, HI) forced the Tiger goalie to make the save.
As the 45-minute mark rolled around signaling halftime, both teams remained at a scoreless stalemate in an incredibly, even showdown at Reavis Stadium.
The Tigers started the second half on the prowl, as senior midfielder EJ Moore worked the ball to Redlands' defensive third. He slotted a nice ball to senior forward Zach Hoffman, who put it to the back of the net in the 48th minute.
While facing a deficit, the Maroon and Gray intensified its play by registering two shots and two corner kicks over the next 10 minutes. Moments after a Redlands throw-in, junior forward Chase Boone (Beaverton, OR) took a few fancy touches through traffic and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner of the net for the equalizer.
After a few minutes of aggressive play and possession changes, the Bulldogs earned a free kick from about 35 yards out. Senior midfielder Isaac Bogart (Lynden, WA) placed a beautiful floater over the top that found the head of junior defender Ben Thompson (Spokane, WA) for game-winner.
Junior goalkeeper Josh Haskill (Lakewood, CA) came up with three huge saves to preserve the Bulldogs' 2-1 lead against the final scoring efforts by the Tigers.
Watch the postgame interview.
The Bulldogs (17-5-1) look forward to advancing on to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2011. They face No. 1 University of Chicago, which defeated Westminster College (MO) by a score of 4-0 in today's second-round game. The Chicago-Redlands match will take place on Saturday, November 19, at 11 a.m. CT at the University of Chicago.