Illinois Wesleyan

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University men's soccer team was handed its first loss in more than a month as the Titans dropped a match to Millikin University Wednesday night, Oct. 14,  at Neis Field. IWU (6-2-3, 2-1-2 CCIW) leveled the score twice, but MU's (7-6-1, 3-3-0 CCIW) 86th-minute strike saw the Titans eight-match unbeaten streak snapped with a 3-2 setback.

Illinois Wesleyan fired off 29 shots in the match, putting 10 on goal. Millikin needed just seven shots to come away with the win, posting six on target.

Millikin struck first, finding the back of the net in the 15th minute, and carried a 1-nil lead for the next 20 minutes before Illinois Wesleyan capitalized on an opportunity. 

After the Titan defense turned the Big Blue away, senior Ryder Coleman (Bannockburn, Ill.-Deerfield) settled a clearance at his feet inside midfield. Turning and taking a quick touch, Coleman slipped a pass between the MU backline to sophomore Daniel Smazil (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) on the opposite side of the field. Gaining possession midway inside the 18, Smazil fired a shot inside the near post to level the score, 1-1.

The Big Blue did not let the deadlock last long, burying a header in the 43rd minute to reclaim a 2-1 advantage. Despite the score, the Titans held a 17-3 advantage in shots at the break, with seven on target.

Millikin cleared an initial cross back into IWU territory, but the Green and White took possession right back. A double team by sophomores Cassius Sharp (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) and Will Smucker (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) resulted in junior Dillon Tierney (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) taking the ball and driving towards goal. Approaching the top of the 18, Tierney set a pass off to junior Hayden Shumaker (Decatur, Ill.-Mt. Zion) on a give-and-go and cut through to Big Blue defenders to the six where he slotted a ball under the MU keeper to knot the match, 2-2, with 16 minutes to go.

Millikin had one more response left, notching the game-winner in the 86th minute. After the Titan defense cleared a free kick opportunity, the Big Blue volleyed a deflected cross into the back of the net to climb back ahead, 3-2.

The Titans look to bounce back on the road to Waukesha, Wis. to face Carroll University on Saturday, Oct. 17. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m.