Victor Cortez Fires Dramatic Equalizer to Force Overtime
in First Career Multi-goal Match
(Santa Clara, CA) – USF men's soccer battled
on weary legs, but managed a thrilling 2-2 tie on senior midfielder
Victor Cortez' equalizer as regulation expired in West Coast
Conference action at Santa Clara on a beautiful Friday night. The
Dons (2-7-2, 0-3-1 WCC) were playing in their fourth match in seven
days but collected their first result at Buck Shaw Stadium since
2004 against the Broncos (4-4-3, 1-0-2 WCC), who extended their
unbeaten streak to five matches.
Cortez sent the Dons to overtime in the most dramatic way possible.
The team captain rocketed a missile into the upper v, far post,
from approximately 40 yards with five seconds remaining in
regulation. The timely equalizer put an exclamation point on the
first multi-goal match of Cortez' standout career on the
Hilltop.
Playing in its second consecutive double overtime match and second
since Wednesday, San Francisco completed an exceptionally grueling
stretch of the schedule Friday in the South Bay. The Dons logged
387 minutes in a week, beginning last Friday against Loyola
Marymount in the 2010 West Coast Conference opener.
USF and the Broncos fought to a standstill in the first half. Both
teams made forays into scoring territory, but neither club could
find the back of the net. Each team fired a pair of shots before
the intermission.
Santa Clara struck first in the 47th minute with Mykell Bates
connecting on his first goal of the season off a Wesley Culver free
kick. Culver drove the ball from the near corner of box to the far
post where Bates headed it into the upper corner.
Less than three minutes later, the Broncos made it 2-0 on a Culver
free kick from nearly the same point of the field as his assist on
Bates' tally. It was the first goal of the season for
Culver.
It would have been encouraging to find a way to get it done in
overtime," USF head coach Erik Visser said. "The first
half was good. In the second half we gave up two goals again on
restarts, which is concerning. However, unlike other games we
fought back. It was a great goal by Cortez late.
USF answered in the 52nd minute on the first goal from Cortez off
an assist from freshman Patrick De Young. It was the collegiate
debut for De Young.
Santa Clara had a player sent off in the 55th minute and although
the Dons created some opportunities, they were unable to
capitalize.
"It's disappointing that in overtime we didn't
finish the job," Visser said. "We were one man up, 11
against 10. I think it was a great opportunity to finish the job,
but by the same token I give Santa Clara a lot of
credit."
Santa Clara held an 11-10 shot advantage, but managed a 5-2 edge in
the overtime sessions. Sophomore goalkeeper Brendan Roslund made
three saves to earn the decision for the Dons, while Kevin Klasila
made one for the Broncos in the deadlock.
San Francisco closes the first half of the West Coast Conference
schedule when it travels to the Pacific Northwest to take on
Portland and Gonzaga. The Dons tackle the Bulldogs Friday, October
13 at the Gonzaga Soccer Field in a 3:00 PM contest and then play a
Sunday matinee against the Pilots at Merlo Field.
