ROCKFORD, Ill. –
Jordan Davis-Troller (
Sr.-Cottage Grove, Wis.) scored in the 61st minute to break a tie score and the Lakeland University men's soccer team went on to a 3-1 victory over Rockford University Saturday afternoon at Sam Greeley Field.
The Muskies capped a busy but productive week with a good road win, finishing the week with a win and a tie in a pair of Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference road matches. Lakeland extended its unbeaten streak to seven games and continued to improve on its school record for wins in a season, improving to 11-2-2 overall and 5-1-2 in the NACC. The Muskies also remained in a tie with Milwaukee School of Engineering for second in the conference, and with 17 points in conference play now continued to move closer to clinching a spot in the NACC Tournament.
The Muskies never trailed in the match, though Rockford (4-5-4 overall, 1-3-3 NACC) answered Lakeland's opening goal to keep the game tied well into the second half.
Woodlens Frederic (
Fr.-Green Bay, Wis.) put the Muskies on the board 12 minutes, 23 seconds into the match. He received a pass into the box from
Victor Aguirre (
So.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.), collected and then dribbled a slow roller on the ground just out of the reach of Regents goalkeeper Wesley Pritzlaff and into the net.
Rockford answered in the 27th minute as Sebastian Herrera scored his first goal of the season for the hosts, and the score remained 1-1 into halftime. The score remained that way until the second half, when Davis-Troller, Aguirre and
Aaron Cortez (
Fr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) put on a passing clinic, and Cortez then dribbled between three defenders, spun and found Davis-Troller in the middle. The senior chipped a shot from 12 yards inside the right post for his sixth goal of the season and 23rd career goal.
Lakeland added an insurance goal in the 74th minute.
Porter Gigstead (
Jr.-Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) won a goal kick near midfield and headed it far ahead.
Isai Gil (
Jr.-Beaumont, Calif.) ran it down, shed a defender and shot and scored from 15 yards out, off the hand of Pritzlaff and in for his fifth goal of the season. The Muskies survived a brief rush by Rockford in the 80th minute and with the two-goal lead were able to substitute freely in the final 10 minutes.
Lakeland outshot Rockford 24-11 for the match, though the teams tied in shots on goal with six apiece. Aguirre led the Muskies with five shots, and 13 different players recorded at least one shot.
Ali Faiad (
Fr.-Alexandria, Egypt) made two saves in the first half and
Jeremiah Reynolds (
So.-Huntley, Ill.) stopped three shots in the second half to record his first collegiate win.
The Muskies are back home for their next three matches, starting with a match against in a battle of second-place teams Wednesday at 7 p.m. at John Taylor Memorial Field.
