MIDFIELDER LUKE GORCZYCA (B4) controls the ball during Drake’s 2-0 win over DePaul Sept. 1. Photo Sarah Andrews
With just a minute and a half left in the game, midfielder Thomas Ostrander (B2) sent the No. 22 Bulldogs ahead of the Evansville Purple Aces. The only goal of the game gave an exciting finish to an otherwise average soccer game.
Ostrander’s second goal of the season couldn’t have come at a better time for the Bulldogs. A long ball from goalkeeper Michael Drozd (B3) found Garrett Webb (B4), who sent the ball on to Ostrander near the top of the Evansville box. The flick floated past sprawling Purple Aces goalkeeper, Phil Boerger, into the back of the net.
“We never really found our rhythm in the whole game, but to be undefeated in the conference and be a few days away from the first NCAA RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) at 7-3-1 is a sort of satisfaction,” Head Coach Sean Holmes said. “I thought we were very good going forwards at times, but never consistently and it never flowed. The moisture from this morning’s snow sped up the game a little bit and the ball skipped out causing a lot of stoppages.”
The first half was a battle that never found any goals. Even though Drake held the shot advantage in the first half, 8-3, the Bulldogs didn’t find any real opportunities to gain the lead until the second half.
Webb nearly put the Bulldogs up in the 57th minute when his shot was sent just wide by the Purple Aces keeper. Webb ended the game with a game-high five shots.
The Bulldogs continuously had the advantage in the offensive category and their defense remained strong enough to keep Evansville from having any real chances to break through.
“I never felt like they were going to score in the run of play except maybe in the last 10 minutes, but credit to the guys for having the maturity again to win when we don’t play great,” Holmes said.
The 1-0 victory gave Drozd his fifth shutout of the season and second in the same week.
Center backs Calvin Clark (B4) and Julien Edwards (B4) provided solid back line play for the Bulldogs, as they never let anything threatening get past them to Drozd. Clark, honored last week as the Missouri Valley Conference defensive player of the week, has provided strong structure as the last line of the Drake defense all season long and was key in keeping the attack out of the Bulldogs’ end.
“Our two center backs, Calvin Clark and Julien Edwards, were very solid,” Holmes said. “It was great for Michael Drozd to get his fifth shutout of the season as well.”
With the newly-instated home-and-home format for the MVC, each team plays the remaining five opponents in the league both at home and on the road makes the final stretch of the season that much more important.
“I have a feeling a lot of the conference will look like this where people will be playing not to lose on the road,” Holmes said. “We have to get our full points at home and then go steal some on the road to be successful.”
Last week, the Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in the Midwest region and No. 22 nationally, showing that last year’s success wasn’t a fluke.
“It is very nice to get recognized for our good play so far this season,” Shrout said. “We know we’ve let a few slip away, but we’re ready to keep winning and keep moving up. We have big hopes, and we know if we continue to make progress then we’ll be fine.”
Coming off the dramatic win, the Bulldogs will return to action against preseason MVC favorite Creighton in Omaha on Oct. 14. The tough test will say a lot about their hopes for the rest of the season.
