GOSHEN, Ind. – Senior Jared Putt scored his second goal of the season to erase a 1-0 deficit and force overtime with Goshen College on Wednesday night. However, the Maple Leafs would net the game-winner in the extra period to deal the No. 24-ranked Spring Arbor University men's soccer team its first Crossroads League loss of the season.
The loss dropped the Cougars to 6-4-1 on the season and 1-1 in the conference while the Leafs improved to 2-8 overall and 1-1 in league play.
"Goshen made it very difficult for us to break through," said head coach Nathan Miller. "There are a lot of different types of challenges in our league and Goshen is a unique one. It's certainly a challenge when a team parks the bus like that, but we knew that was coming and simply didn't deal with it as well as we needed to. We have to put away all those chances to deserve to win."
After Goshen scored with less than a minute remaining in the first half, Spring Arbor found itself battling in the second stanza to find the equalizer before time expired. The Cougars were finally able to breakthrough in the 76th minute off a counter attack with a strike from Putt. Junior Adam Hunt brought the ball into the attacking third before feeding Putt, who slipped a low shot past the GC goalkeeper to the far post to level the score and send the match into overtime.
Late in the second overtime period, the Maple Leafs sent a cross in front of the goal that was redirected by a Spring Arbor defender, but the ball bounced right to GC's Isaac Huerta and he would punch a shot into the back of the net for his second tally of the night.
"For the first time this year our defending was really sloppy and we just need to improve," added Miller. "It's a tough league with big challenges. This is a team check for us to grow from and welcome the hard challenges that come our way."
The Cougars will look to bounce back this Saturday when they host Mount Vernon Nazarene University (5-3-3, 1-0-1 CL) during Spring Arbor's Homecoming weekend at 3 p.m.
Men's Soccer Contact: Chris Bauman | 517-750-6504 | christopher.bauman@arbor.edu
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