(DENVER, Co)—After a five-goal thriller in Denver, Colorado, the fourth-seeded Mavericks knocked off the Summit League Regular Season Champions, Western Illinois, in Thursday’s Summit League semifinal match. The Mavericks prevailed 3-2, with the winner being scored in the 94’ in extra time.
The match was tightly contested in the midfield, with both sides having chances to make the breakthrough up until the 29’ when junior midfielder Mitch Hammer fired home from point blank. The Arizona native was assisted by sophomore Junior Noutoua’s backheel flick, creating space for Hammer to run into and score. This was Hammer’s first goal of the season and Noutoua’s first assist.
After the goal, Omaha got another boost as Western Illinois’ Paul Kirdorf was sent off in the 41’ for a harsh challenge on Omaha’s Miguel Gomez. Omaha went into the halftime break leading by a goal and a man.
Western Illinois wouldn’t let the door shut, as the Leathernecks came from behind and took a 2-1 lead in the first 30 minutes of the second half despite being down a man. Daisuke Otsuka scored both of the goals, one off a penalty in the 55’ and the other in the 74’ off an audacious chip over the Maverick defense and goalkeeper Jeremy Pollard.
The lead wouldn’t last long, however. Five minutes later, Omaha senior midfielder Marcos Bautista took a sensational turn inside the opposition’s box, finding just enough time and space to find the back of the net and bring the Maverick’s level.
After a goalless final eleven minutes, Omaha went into their seventh overtime period of the 2019 campaign. Three and a half minutes in the overtime period, senior defender Pep Mateu scored his first goal in an Omaha uniform, heading home off a cross from Hammer. The golden goal sends Omaha to their fourth consecutive Summit League Championship match, and their fourth straight meeting with the Denver Pioneers for the title.
Denver leads the championship series between the two programs at 3-1, with Omaha’s lone conference title coming in 2017 at Caniglia Field.
Saturday’s championship match will kickoff at 3:00 CST and will be streamed live on MavRadio.fm with Owen Godberson and Jack Hoover.
