FORT WORTH – The Texas Wesleyan Men's Soccer team (6-3-2, 1-1-1 SAC) picked up a crucial conference win over John Brown University (4-7, 2-2 SAC) at Martin Field on Saturday.
Mario Herrera laced in the golden goal on a penalty kick in the first overtime period.
"After getting off to a slow start in the first half, the guys really came out and battled the rest of the game," said head coach
Cole Sweetser after the big win. "That's a good John Brown team and it took the guys coming together. It was a great team win."
The Rams, playing two men down, played heroically late in the second half and into the OT. Momentum was on the TXWES sideline, and in the 106th minute,
Augustas Aldonis charged towards goal on a beautiful through ball from
Oscar Odriozola. Aldonis was fouled in the box to set up a PK. Herrera did the rest, firing in the goal just right of center, passed the diving JBU keeper who went left.
It was Herrera's fifth goal of the season and one that invigorated a Ram squad heading into a match up with undefeated MACU (11-0, 3-0 SAC).
The Golden Eagles were first on the board though, after Jacob Zamarron earned his 11 th goal of the season in the 32nd minute. JBU would take a 1-0 lead into half time.
After trailing for over 30 minutes,
Mateja Jovanovic was credited with the equalizer in the 65th minute on a rather unconventional play. His shot was challenged by a JBU defender who got a piece of it, and the ball was slightly redirected upwards but still toward goal. The JBU keeper could not get an eye on it until it was in the back of the net.
Bastian Blumenberg was phenomenal once again in goal for the Rams. The senior from Chile improved to 1-1-1 on the season after coming back from injury. He collected five critical saves, including a 1v1 against Zamarron, who juked, faked, took a side step right and looked to be in the clear, but Blumenberg somehow timed the shot perfectly in a full extension dive to keep the game knotted up in the late goings.
The team holds a 3.64 goals per game average, while limiting opponents to 1.83 gpg. The Rams also have 25 assists in 2021. Aldonis leads the team with four assists.
Next up for the Rams, a meeting in Oklahoma City with Mid-America Christian. The match is schedule to start of 7:30 p.m.
