Eureka Comes from Behind, Tops Fontbonne, 3-2
EUREKA – Playing with a man down, the Eureka men's soccer team came from behind and knocked off Fontbonne 3-2 on Friday at McKinzie Field.
It was the Red Devils' first win over the Griffins in program history – and it kept the team in contention for St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason play.
"It wasn't the prettiest of wins, but it doesn't have to be," first-year EC coach Ryan Woodside said. "The guys found a way to grit it out down a man.
"We talked at halftime just about showing a lot of heart and how the season was on the line, because it really was. I think the guys did a good job, showed a lot of heart, showed a lot of passion, really came together."
With the match locked at 2-2 with less than five minutes remaining, sophomore Jake Edmondson (Monticello, Ill./Monticello) put away his second match-winner of the season.
It started with a free kick from nearly 50 yards out by Isaac Noriega (Chicago, Ill./Fatima College/Lincoln). He sent it into the box, where it caromed off a Fontbonne defender's head and hit Edmondson right in the face. EC's Tyler Russow (Streator, Ill./Streator/Illinois Valley Community College) got to it next and got a shot off that was blocked by a Fontbonne defender. The ensuing clearance, however, went off the back of another Griffin and landed right at the feet of Edmondson on the right side of the 18-yard box. He quickly corralled it and ripped it towards the opposite corner to make it 3-2 with 4:29 to play.
It was Edmondson's fourth goal of the season and his first since sealing a 3-2 win over Blackburn at McKinzie Field on Sept. 13.
"It felt good to get one in the net," he said. "It's been a minute. I guess I pick my times well.
"It's nice to be able to step up for the team. Guys like (seniors) Milan (Bajgai) and Sean (Blair) won't be here next year, and it's huge for them. We just need to extend the season as much as we can."
The Red Devils had to come back twice to make it happen.
Fontbonne got on the board first with a nice volley by Brandon O'Dell on an assist off a corner kick by Ian Steinkamp in the 14th minute.
Raphael Mungu (Bloomington, Ill./Normal) provided the answer about 3 1/2 minutes later. Like with the match-winner, it started with a Noriega free kick. Jordan Pierre (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy/Lincoln) went up, won it and hit it off his shoulder to the middle, Mungu met it mid-air and sent it into the lower right side.
The Griffins went ahead for the second time with just over six minutes left in the half, when Eldar Kladnjakovic scored off a corner kick by Carter Youmans.
Fontbonne went into halftime with a 2-1 lead. It stayed that way until the 70th minute when the Red Devils – who went a man down in the 57th minute due to a red card – earned a penalty kick after getting fouled in the box.
Daniel Jueliger (London, UK/Netherhall Secondary School/Lincoln) stepped up and took advantage of the opportunity, burying the PK to make it 2-2 with about 20 minutes left to play.
With the odds stacked against them, the Red Devils continued to fight and did everything they could to keep their hopes alive. By the match's end, goalkeeper Brayton Strawkas (Buffalo, Ill./Tri-City) had turned away 12 of Fontbonne's 14 shots on goal. He made a diving save near the far post a minute after Edmondson's go-ahead goal, and Eureka pushed the Griffins out on the ensuing corner kick. That ended up being the last time Fontbonne had a good opportunity to even the score.
With the win, Eureka improved to 5-9-2 on the season, but importantly, 3-7-2 in SLIAC play. On Saturday, Eureka will be paying attention to the Westminster (3-6-2 SLIAC) vs. Spalding (2-5-2 SLIAC) match to see where they will sit in the standings heading into the last week of the regular season.
The Red Devils (5-9-2, 3-7-2 SLIAC) will next face Greenville (6-3-5, 6-1-4 SLIAC) on the road on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
