UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University men's soccer team celebrated Senior Day with a 2-1 victory over Purdue Northwest on Sunday afternoon at Robert C. Braddock Field, playing the final 33 minutes down a man while protecting a one-goal advantage.
The Cardinals (8-1-5, 6-1-3 GLIAC) scored twice in the opening 27 minutes before holding off the Lions in a physical second half. SVSU and Purdue Northwest each finished with 20 shots, while the Cardinals held a 12-7 advantage in shots on goal.
Saginaw Valley wasted little time getting on the board. After Senior Day starter Nick Kay (Walled Lake, Mich., Walled Lake Central HS) exited 34 seconds into the match, Jack Franklin (Jenks, Okla.) entered in goal and helped create the opening mark less than 30 seconds later. Franklin played a ball to Kai Forsyth (Derby, England) who sent one long for Matty Telfer (Newcastle, England, Sunderland College) who found the back of the net off the half volley just 1:03 into the match. It was Telfer's 13th goal of the season for his 28th point of the year.
The Cardinals continued to pressure the Lions, forcing three more saves over the next 20 minutes. SVSU doubled its advantage in the 27th minute when Adrian Hatman (Hîncesti, Moldova, Lucian Blaga) converted from the penalty spot for his second goal of the season, giving Saginaw Valley a 2-0 lead.
Purdue Northwest pulled one back in the 38th minute to make it 2-1. The Lions nearly found an equalizer just before halftime, but an attempt struck the crossbar as SVSU carried its one-goal advantage into the break.
The complexion of the match changed in the 58th minute when Abram Freye (Muskegon, Mich., Mona Shores HS) was shown a red card, forcing the Cardinals to play the final 32:56 with 10 men. Purdue Northwest immediately tested Franklin, but the Cardinal goalkeeper made a save during the sequence to keep SVSU in front.
Despite playing shorthanded, Saginaw Valley did not simply sit back. Noah Jackson (Redford, Mich., North Farmington HS) forced a save in the 64th minute, and the Cardinals generated several more chances later in the half. Jackson and Bernd Rathgeber (Nördlingen, Germany, BWG Neresheim Secondary School) each put shots on goal during a stretch of pressure in the 77th and 78th minutes.
At the other end, Franklin and the Cardinal defense kept the Lions off the board for the entire 33-minute stretch with 10 men. Franklin made saves in the 73rd and 79th minutes, while Purdue Northwest was unable to put another attempt on target over the final 11 minutes.
SVSU continued attacking into the closing minutes, with Bryan Martinez-Robles (Coldwater, Mich., Coldwater HS) forcing the final save of the match in the 88th minute before the Cardinals saw out the 2-1 victory.
Franklin finished with six saves over 89:26 in goal and earned the victory. Telfer recorded a match-high three shots on goal, while Rathgeber also put all three of his attempts on target. Purdue Northwest goalkeeper Estefano Alvear made 10 saves.
Up Next: Saginaw Valley has two matches remaining in the regular season with a one-point lead over Northern Michigan for the top spot in the conference. The Cardinals head to Davenport on Wednesday, October 21 for a 2 PM kickoff before heading to Northern Michigan on Sunday, October 25 for a 12 PM kickoff.
