CHICAGO – In a heated battle with the CCAC regular season title on the line, the Roosevelt men's soccer team fell to Cardinal Stritch 2-0 amidst a charged atmosphere at Stuart Field on Saturday night.
Both sides came in with identical 10-1-0 conference records, and a CCAC crown and NAIA postseason berth were on the line in the league's biggest match of the fall.
Defense ruled the day as each team had looks but could not convert until the 33rd minute, when Lluis Dolade Castello sent a ball toward the left side and a streaking Eduardo Andrade. Andrade got free and sent in a ball toward the right post that met the net and put the Wolves (13-4-0, 11-1-0 CCAC) ahead.
Things started to get tougher for the Lakers just 80 seconds later, as leading scorer Albert Arabik was given a red card and, subsequently, so was head coach Graham Brennan for arguing the call.
Playing a man down and without their head coach the rest of the way, the Lakers (12-5-0, 10-2-0 CCAC) played tough in search for the leveling goal.
However, a failed clearance moments after a corner kick found its way to Victor Valera, who sent in the ball toward goal and beat Mario Graciano for a back-breaking insurance goal for the guests.
Roosevelt had its shots, but the Lakers were unable to convert them into goals during their valiant shorthanded effort.
Before the match Roosevelt honored seniors Arabik, Eduardo Saucedo, Ronan Perennes, Joe Oswin, Alan Romero and Michael Flores as part of Senior Day.
The Lakers will begin their march toward a different CCAC title, the conference tournament crown, and resume their quest for an NAIA bid with a CCAC quarterfinal match at Stuart Field next Saturday. Time and opponent will be officially announced this week.
