The Valparaiso University men’s soccer team responded to a late deficit on Sunday evening with a timely equalizer, but host Oral Roberts found a golden goal in the 106^th minute to send Valpo to a 2-1 defeat in its final fixture prior to Missouri Valley Conference competition. An exciting, competitive match featured a strong effort against a talented Golden Eagles side that owns a strong early-season resume.

How It Happened

• Neither team score in the first 84 minutes of play on a night that featured an outstanding performance by Valpo goalkeeper Edvin Holst (Stockholm, Sweden / Viktor Ryberg Gymnasium Jaraplan). After garnering a pair of saves in the opening half, the Valpo freshman faced several challenging tests in the second half.
• Holst came up with back-to-back stops on strong efforts in the 60^th and 61^st minutes, keeping the match scoreless. He was challenged again in the 73^rd minute and yet again in the 81^st minute, but continued to make saves.
• Holst made a diving save in the 85^th minute on a shot by Reed Berry to temporarily keep the nil-nil score intact, but the diving effort allowed for a rebound chance by Berry, who scored to put the Golden Eagles (5-1) on the board.
• In the 89^th minute, Ryan Madondo (Franklin, Tenn. / Franklin Road Academy [East Tennessee State]) converted an unassisted 1-vs-1 with the Oral Roberts goalkeeper, leveling the score at one in dramatic fashion.  
• Valpo had a chance for a golden goal in the 94^th minute, but the shot sailed high. Valpo had three corner kicks in the first overtime.
• The ORU match-winner came courtesy of Gustavo Vargas and was set up by a Tanguy Guerineau corner kick. It occurred with exactly four minutes remaining in the second overtime.

Inside the Game

• The narrow defeat came to an ORU side that already owned a 4-1 victory over Missouri Valley Conference member Drake and wins over Kansas City (2-1), California Baptist (1-0) and Houston Baptist (4-1).
• Madondo registered his first goal in a Valpo kit and moved his point total to three.
• Despite incurring the defeat in goal, Holst put together a quality effort that featured eight saves. That matched his showing from the season opener at Green Bay, when he racked up eight stops in a 1-1 draw with the Phoenix. Holst’s eight-save total equaled the most by a Valpo player in any match since Nico Campbell had nine on Sept. 9, 2014 vs. Butler. Holst has had eight-save outings in two of his first three collegiate appearances.  
• The Madondo goal was Valpo’s latest regulation tally since Alex Brown scored at the 89:02 mark to secure a 1-0 win over Milwaukee on Sept. 7 of last season.
• Both games this season that have gone to overtime were 1-0 until an 89^th-minute equalizer. Valpo was on the other end of the equation when Green Bay tied it at the 88:57 mark on Aug. 30.
• Demar Rose (Kingston, Jamaica / Wolmer’s Boys School) had three of Valpo’s nine shots. The team placed four shots on goal.

Thoughts from Head Coach Mike Avery

“It’s always a bit of a gut punch when you lose in OT, but result aside, we took a big step forward tonight. We competed in a way that was missing in the last two games, and we had plenty of chances to win the game against a very good Oral Roberts team. ORU is off to a great start this season, and now having seen them up close, it’s no wonder why. They are mature, tough and they can play. It was a great test for us, and great preparation for Wednesday. Again, the result stings, but in terms of the team’s growth and preparation for conference play, it was a good night for us.”

Up Next

Valpo (1-3-1) will open up Missouri Valley Conference play on Wednesday at Missouri State, the team’s third game in six days. The kickoff is slated for high noon and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3.