Rochester Hills, Mi.– The Robert Morris men’s soccer team has won their first ever Horizon League Championship this afternoon. The Colonials faced the number one seed, Oakland, and upset the Golden Grizzlies to secure their first Horizon League Tournament title.
They will advance to their fourth NCAA Tournament and first since 2005.
It was a cloudy day in Oakland, Michigan Saturday afternoon with an exciting matchup between the top two teams in the Horizon League. Going into the game, the Colonials have never beat Oakland before having lost six of their seven matches against the Golden Grizzlies. The Colonials fell to the Golden Grizzlies earlier this season 3-2 after having the lead at halftime up 2-1.
The Colonials, who won their first Horizon League Tournament game in the semifinals with a win over Milwaukee, were eager to get in front early once again. After a pair of opportunities by the Colonials, in the ninth minute the Junior Defender, Victor Thompson, took a strike just outside the penalty box and put the ball in the back of the net. Thompson picked the right the right day to score his first career collegiate goal. The shot was assisted by Anass Hadran and Chase Gilley to put the Colonials ahead.
The Golden Grizzlies would not back down after conceding the first goal of the game. Oakland took nine shots in the first half, all coming after the Colonials goal. Even with great chances on net, the Goalkeeper for Robert Morris, Josh Lane, recorded three saves in the first half with a spectacular diving save in the thirty-third minute to keep the Golden Grizzlies out of the back of the net.
The Colonials went into the half with a 1-0 lead, one half away from securing their first Horizon League title.
The second half got off to a heated start with Oakland’s Andrew Darakdjian who was sent off with a red card in the first minute of the second half. The Golden Grizzlies would play down a man in their most important half of soccer this season.
The Golden Grizzlies would continue to apply pressure on the Colonials in the second half, but the Robert Morris Midfield and Defense would shut down Oakland in the second half. Oakland got away with six shots in the second half, but Josh Lane, who had three saves in the first half, got his body in front of two of the Oakland chances.
The Colonials combatted the Oakland chances with five shots of their own in the second half. Alex Flowers, Oakland Goalkeeper, had three of his eight saves in the second half to keep the Colonials from extending their lead in the second half.
After ninety minutes of hard-fought soccer, the buzzer sounded which meant the Colonials had won their first Horizon League Tournament Title in school history as they defeated the Oakland Golden Grizzlies for the first time in school history as well.
An incredible run by Head coach Jonathan Potter and the Colonials in the Horizon League Tournament as they keep their season alive by punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament this season for the fourth time in school history.
The team will face the Big Ten’s Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbour on Thursday Nov. 21 at 7 p.m.
