Final Stats
OMAHA, Neb. - Oakland's John DeLeon scored 1:59 into overtime to hand the UNO men's soccer team a 2-1 loss in its final home game on Sunday afternoon at the UNO Soccer Field.
The Mavs' second straight overtime loss puts them at 4-10-1 overall and 2-3-1 heading into their final game next Saturday at Oral Roberts. UNO finished with a 4-1 record at home this season. Oakland improved to 10-6 overall and moved into a tie for first place in The Summit League at 5-1.
UNO had the first good chance of the game when Cody Thayer slipped a through ball into the box to an on-running
Vance Rookwood, but Rookwood's shot from the right side of the box went just right of the near post.
The Mavs did break through first though with 24:59 left in the first half.
Craig Buettner fought through a slew of Oakland defenders on the right side of the box and got a shot off that hit the near post, bounced off the goalkeeper and deflected to the middle of the six-yard box, where Rookwood tapped it in for his team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Oakland tied the match in the 62nd minute after a loose ball in the box found the foot of Johnny Dreshaj in the center. Dreshaj buried the 12-yard shot into the right corner of the net to tie it 1-1.
The Golden Grizzlies went down a man after center back John Timm picked up his second yellow card by dragging down Jake Linden just outside the box. Linden had beaten a man and was breaking in alone on goal when he was pulled down by Timm.
But the teams remained deadlocked through a physical and intense 90 minutes that featured nine yellow cards and one red card.
In overtime, the game-winning goal came when Joey Tinnion played a ball up the left side to Miche'le Lipari. Lipari beat a defender to get into the box and centered a ball across the six-yard box, where DeLeon lunged to redirect home his first goal of the season.
Shots were even at 11 each. Oakland had a 5-3 edge in shots on goal, but UNO had two go off the post.
Matt Grosey made three saves.
