SAINT PETER, Minn. – Double overtime wasn’t enough to decide a winner Sunday afternoon as the Gustavus men’s soccer team and UW-Eau Claire went to penalty kicks in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Gustavus keeper Wesley Sanders (Sr., Urbandale, Iowa) made four stops in seven rounds of penalty kicks, propelling the Gusties to the Sweet 16 of the national tournament, which will take place next weekend at a host site to be determined Monday.
UW-Eau Claire took the early lead at the 3:34 mark thanks to an own goal against Gustavus. A clearing attempt inadvertently was knocked into the goal and the Blugolds held a one-goal advantage for most of the first half. With less than seven minutes left in the half, the Blugolds sent a ball into the box on a set piece where Sanders was able to grab it out of the air and quickly boot it across midfield to Raphael Cattelin (Jr., Edina). Cattelin then streaked up the field and was fouled inside the 18, setting up a penalty kick. Otis Anderson (Jr., Minneapolis) drilled home the PK and tied the game with 5:45 left in the half.
The Gusties outshot the Blugolds 5-2 in the first and 9-1 in the second, but neither team scored in the second 45 minutes and the game was sent to overtime. The Gusties again outshot the Blugolds 2-1 in the first overtime and 6-1 in the second overtime, but 110 minutes wasn’t enough time to decide a winner and the game was sent to penalty kicks.
Clarence Weah (So., Minnetonka) and Anderson made the first two penalty kicks for the Gusties while Sanders stopped the first two Blugold shots, giving the Gusties a 2-0 advantage heading to round three. The Blugolds answered with two made shots while the Gusties missed their next two, tying the shootout at 2-2 after four rounds. Owen Johnson (Jr., Apple Valley) regained the Gustie lead in the fifth round, but the Blugolds also made their fifth attempt. Both teams missed their sixth attempt. Teig O’Kelly (So., Hudson, Wis.) gave the Gusties a 4-3 lead in the seventh round and Sanders followed with his biggest stop of the game, sending the home team and crowd into a frenzy.
Sanders finished the game with four saves in 110 minutes of game play and four stops in the shootout. Gustavus outshot the Blugolds 22-5 in the game.
Gustavus will face the winner of St. Olaf and North Central (Ill.) next weekend at a location to be determined Monday.