SEWARD, Neb. – They did not make it easy on fans – or their head coach – but the Bulldogs found a way to come out on top on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 27). The Concordia University men’s soccer team repeated the script from a week earlier by conceding a game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation. It ultimately made amends when Roger de la Villa ended the madness with 33 seconds remaining in the second overtime. The Bulldogs then dogpiled in celebration of a 2-1 home win over Briar Cliff (9-6-2, 6-3-1 GPAC).
Eleventh-year head coach Jason Weides’ program also used the day to honor its class of six seniors. Many of them had a hand in the latest victory. Concordia will enter the postseason at 10-4-3 overall and at 6-2-3 in conference.
“Overall it was a good performance. It was two good teams and I think you saw a pretty even game,” Weides said. “We knew we were in for a challenge because Briar Cliff is one of the better attacking teams in our conference. Our guys did a good job of limiting their chances. You’re never going to stop their chances, but we limited the really quality scoring chances.”
Considering the sum of the circumstances, the Bulldogs would have been kicking themselves had they walked away from this one with a draw. Not only did they surrender a late goal to necessitate overtime, they also missed out on a series of point-blank goal scoring chances in the second overtime. Finally, de la Villa sent the Concordia bench into a state of jubilation when he tapped in the golden goal from just a couple yards out.
It was sweet relief for the home team, which had earlier watched de la Villa drill a ball off the post and then Carlos Ferrer head another chance off the crossbar in the final minute. Just seconds later, Ferrer made a perfect cross to de la Villa for the winner. De la Villa also scored a goal in the 66th minute to put the Bulldogs up 1-0 at the time.
Though many of them were of the fairly routine variety, senior goalkeeper Jack Bennett made 12 saves while coming up agonizingly short of a clean sheet. Not everything has gone quite the way Bennett has hoped in his final collegiate season (eight games missed due to injury), but there were few complaints in the aftermath of the win.
“It’s strange,” Bennett said of seeing his career begin to wind down. “I’ve seen it three years and now I’m part of it. I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet. I don’t think it will until the end of playoffs. It’s definitely a sad day, but I hope this isn’t the last (home) game.”
Bennett was one of four seniors in the starting lineup. The others were Angel Alvarez, Derek Eitzmann and Aries Fung. Eitzmann assisted the first goal. Meanwhile, Alvarez (left the game late after a collision) has been an integral piece at center back. Seniors Jack Arra and Mickey Waldron were also recognized as part of the pregame ceremony.
By the time the dust settled on Saturday evening, Bennett got his wish. With Northwestern’s loss at Hastings, Concordia has earned the right to host in the GPAC quarterfinals. It will be either the No. 3 or 4 seed, pending the result of Sunday’s Briar Cliff-Mount Marty game.
Weides hopes things are now coming together at the right time. The Bulldogs made a move up the standings in the final week of the regular season with their wins over Midland and Briar Cliff.
Said Weides, “I think we’re closer to where we should have been the whole season, getting points against good teams. I think we’ve been capable of that all season. In terms of confidence, I think we’re ready for the second season.”