Titans Tame Lions In Regular-Season Finale
UW-Oshkosh received goals from five different players as the Titans wrapped up their regular season schedule for the 2015 men's soccer season with a 5-1 victory over Finlandia University (Mich.) on Wednesday (Oct. 28) in Hancock, Mich.
Following a scoreless first half, Jacob Hernandez and Elias Efthimiou sailed early second-period shots into the net to give UW-Oshkosh a 2-0 lead. The scores were recorded within 98 seconds of each other, as Hernandez tallied an unassisted goal in the 48th minute (47:28) and Efthimiou an assisted goal from Hernandez and Jakub Rys in the 49th (48:54). It was the second goal of the season for Hernandez and the fifth for Efthimiou.
UW-Oshkosh (11-3-3), which has won all eight of its contests against Finlandia University (11-5), took a 3-0 lead on a goal by Malcolm Jeffris in the 62nd minute (61:04). Jeffris scored his second goal of the year off a pass from Tyler Howard.
Fourty two seconds (61:46) after the Jeffris goal, Jonathan Barnes cut the Lions' deficit to 3-1 with a score off a serve from Alex Freeman. Barnes tallied his seventh goal of the season on Finlandia University's only shot of the contest.
UW-Oshkosh got the score back when Drew Van Alstine tallied his first collegiate goal off a pass from Hernandez in the 67th minute (66:51).
The Titans increased their lead to 5-1 on a goal by Elijah Tesch in the 86th minute (85:12). The unassisted score was Tesch's second goal of the season.
UW-Oshkosh attempted 34 shots against the Lions, including 18 in the second half. The Titans also earned all 10 of the contest's corner kick opportunities.
A total of 15 players were involved in UW-Oshkosh's shot parade, including Hernandez and Jeffris, who attempted four apiece.
UW-Oshkosh goalkeeper Sam Gabrilska played the first 85 minutes (85:25) and allowed the only shot he faced to score. Kevin Schenk relieved Gabrilska for the final five minutes (4:35) and played without a shot coming his way.
Matthew Van Horn guarded the Finlandia University goal for the entire match. He saved 11 shots while allowing all five UW-Oshkosh goals.
UW-Oshkosh hopes to have its 32nd season of men's soccer continue with a selection to the NCAA Division III Championship. The announcement of the 61-team tournament field will be on Nov. 9.