ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Rockford University men's soccer team took an impressive 1-0 win over the Lakeland University Muskies in a Sunday afternoon NACC showdown to keep the Regents' playoff hopes alive. The match was very tight statistically, with the Regents holding a 19-13 lead in shots, but the Muskies held the 8-6 advantage in shots on goal. Despite this, it remained a scoreless tie through the majority of the match. Both teams traded shots in the first half, but neither team could score, keeping a scoreless tie after the first half. The defenses continued to control the match until
Emilio Lopez came up big for Rockford, scoring in the 79th minute to give the Regents the late lead. Rockford was able to hold off the Muskies for the remainder of the match and eventually took the 1-0 win on senior day.
- Rockford had two opportunities early in the match to take the lead with shots in the 7th, 8th and 9th minutes from Abraham Gonzalez, Bryan Maldonado and Rejhan Jakupi, but both of their tries were unsuccessful, keeping it a scoreless tie.
- The Muskies were able to fire four shots over the next 17 minutes but three were saved by Regent keeper Wesley Pritzlaff and one went wide to keep the match scoreless.
- Neither team was really able to get anything going for the remainder of the first half and the match sat at a scoreless tie through one half.
- The Regents peppered the Muskie's net to open the second half with 5 separate shots, but unfortunately none of the tries were successful and kept the match scoreless.
- Neither team was able to find the offensive spark until in the 79th minute Emilio Lopez swerved his way through the Lakeland defense for the score to give Rockford the late 1-0 lead.
- The Regents were able to keep the Muskies from finding an equalizer and eventually walked away with the 1-0 win.
- Wesley Pritzlaff provided his third shutout of the season, picking up 6 saves in the process.
- Emilio Lopez provided the game-winner for Rockford in the 79th minute, his first goal of the season.
- Ian Jurgensen had 3 shots on goal
- Rejhan Jakupi had 4 shots and 2 shots on goal.
- Abraham fired 4 shots.
