CALEDONIA, Mich.- The Saginaw Valley State men's soccer team tied at Davenport on Wednesday, 2-2. The Cardinals (8-1-6, 6-1-4 GLIAC) and Panthers (3-8-5, 2-6-3 GLIAC) combined for 31 shots, with SVSU having the advantage, 20-11.
Saginaw Valley State got off to a fast start. Bernd Rathgeber (Nördlingen, Germany, BWG Neresheim Secondary School) scored 33 seconds into the match, assisted by Noah Jackson (Redford, Mich., North Farmington HS) and Amadou Kouyate (Ann Arbor, Mich., Community HS). SVSU took the first three shots of the game, but an own-goal made the score 1-1 in the sixth minute. In the 15th minute, the Cardinals retook the lead after Luke Allen (Saline, Mich., Saline HS) sent a ball into the box that Josh Izu (Lagos, Nigeria) headed to Kai Forsyth (Derby, England), who had open space to give SVSU a 2-1 lead. In the 18th minute, a red card on Gabo Vazquez (San Juan, Puerto Rico, DME Academy) put Saginaw Valley State a man-down for the final 71:09. Jack Franklin (Jenks, Okla.) grabbed his first save in the 22nd minute. Izu forced another save a few minutes later, but the score remained 2-1 entering halftime. The Cardinals outshot Davenport in the first half, 10-6.
The second half started slower than the first. The two teams battled, but there were no shots recorded until the 53rd minute. That shot came from the Panthers, and it tied the game, 2-2. The teams traded shots throughout the second half, but it was the Cardinals who had a number of opportunities inside the final ten minutes. SVSU took four shots, including one on goal from Izu. Davenport was able to hold off the Cardinals' attack, ending the match in a tie, 2-2.
Izu, Rathgeber, and Matty Telfer (Newcastle, England, Sunderland College) led SVSU with three shots each. Franklin made one save in the match. Saginaw Valley State had eight shots on goal while DU had two. The Panthers were called for 13 fouls and shown three yellow cards. SVSU was given 10 fouls, a yellow card, and a red card. The Cardinals also took 11 corner kicks while only allowing Davenport one attempt.
Up Next: Saginaw Valley State will play in their final game of the regular season on Sunday, October 25, at noon. The GLIAC regular season championship will be on the line as the Cardinals take on Northern Michigan in Marquette, Michigan.
