[dropcap]U[/dropcap]ntil the 72nd minute, it looked like one converted chance might allow No. 4 Cleveland State to park the bus in Rochester all the way up to Saturday night’s Horizon League Men’s Soccer Championship. Gerald Ben made sure that scenario never came to fruition.
The powerful junior forward ended up the recipient of a long throw-in from the opposite side of the pitch, and Ben converted a strike low to the ground just over 30 seconds until the contest would have headed to penalties, giving No. 1 Oakland a 2-1 victory and sending them into the tournament’s finale against Wright State.
It could have been a cruel result for the hosts, who outshot the Vikings 24-6, if they’d fallen in PKs. The Golden Grizzlies (8-6-3) were the better side before Sergio Manesio’s strike in the 33rd minute high and out of the reach of Wes Mink, and they held possession by a staggering margin thereafter in the second half.
They seemed fit to get on the board first as well. First, Raphael Reynolds directed a header in the 11th minute that looped toward the edge of the goalmouth, but Cleveland State netminder Nick Ciraldo got there in time. Then in the 30th minute, Joey Tinnion looked like he might have a spectacular volley off the laces but his try carried far right of the net.
Just after Oakland’s inability to clear the ball resulted in Manesio’s opener, Matt Dudleyappeared to have an equalizer with a crease left at the near post for the taking, but couldn’t muster enough power, allowing it to go safely into the arms of the sophomore Vikings keeper.
After halftime, Oakland continued to look for their moment of synchronization in the final third and appeared to have it in the 57th minute. A strong shot from surging defender Jacob Vanderlaan had enough power that Ciraldo was unable to hold on, leading to a rebound and a corner. The ensuing play resulted in a ball that deflected within the left side of the 18-yard box, and Gavin Hoy had a chance on the near side that Ciraldo did well to position himself to save.
The leveler finally came in the 72nd minute when a handball committed by a Vikings defender took place on the exact fringes of the penalty box. Dudley stepped over the ball, and Hoy’s shot from the set piece was curled low past the wall and into the right corner of the net to erase the Vikings’ lead.
The gravest danger Oakland faced over the course of 110 minutes wasn’t even averted by Mink, who was called to make just one save all night. That honor went to Vanderlaan, who made a crucial goal-line clearance of a shot by Manesio in the 78th minute that came from Cleveland State’s lone corner opportunity of the match.
Despite conceding twice for the losing side, Ciraldo performed well in net for the Vikings (7-12-1) and finished with seven saves.
Hosts Oakland and Wright State (12-6-2) will meet Saturday at 6 p.m. ET to decide which team earns a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The two met on the same field earlier this season, playing to a 1-1 draw.
Reported first by Press Row Sports.
