UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Noah Vasilev chipped his penalty kick over the Saginaw Valley State goalie to secure Roosevelt's return to the final of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament on Friday in Michigan.
The fifth-seeded Lakers and top-seeded Cardinals faced off in the conference semifinals and were deadlocked at 1-1 after 110 minutes. In the penalty shootout, Roosevelt scored on its first three attempts while Saginaw Valley State missed one kick high and had another attempt stopped by Cedrik Strupler. Vasilev ended the shootout on Roosevelt's fifth kick to secure the program's first shootout victory with the 4-3 decision.
Roosevelt was playing in the semifinals of the conference tournament for a fifth straight year, and for the third time in that span, the match went beyond the 90 minutes. It was an unusually wide open game from both sides with 37 shot attempts between the two teams after they combined for 44 total in the first two meetings this season.
Saginaw Valley State struck first with a goal in the 21st minute, but the Lakers were able to equalize before halftime. A late tackle on Michael Sarna earned Roosevelt a free kick, and Vasilev delivered a picture-perfect service into the box for Matti Pickel to head home. It was Pickel's second goal of the season, and the defender also scored in the shootout for the Lakers.
Strupler, who was named the GLIAC's Goalkeeper of the Year on Thursday, made four saves and also converted as Roosevelt's first penalty taker in the shootout. Matthew Goulding was one of four field players in play every minute of the match, and he also scored in the shootout.
Sarna led the Lakers with five shot attempts, two of which landed on target, and Krystian Niziolek also put two of his four attempts on frame.
UP NEXT: The Lakers move on to face third-seeded Purdue Northwest in the GLIAC final on Sunday at 12 p.m. at Saginaw Valley State. A victory would secure Roosevelt its first ever berth into an NCAA Tournament. This is the third time in the last four seasons Roosevelt has played in the conference tournament final.
