MADISON, WISC. - Saturday's season opener for the Madison College men's soccer team turned in multiple directions over the first 30 minutes of the second half and resulted in a 2-1 loss to Oakton College in a Region 4 match at Irwin A. & Robert D. Goodman Pitch-East. Freshman Cole Rogers scored his first career goal to break a scoreless game early in the second half. The WolfPack are now 0-2 all-time against the Owls, who have won by identical scores in each match.

Both teams had opportunities at the net during the first 45 minutes. Madison attempted four shots and put two on goal, while Oakton sent three shots on net out of four total attempts. The WolfPack's Alfredo Herrera was issued a red card in the game's 30'.

Still scoreless five minutes into the second half, the Pack forced a turnover near the center line, where first year midfielder Hudson Nielsen picked up the loose ball and began moving it up the right side of the pitch. A crossing pass at the top of the penalty area found Rogers, who navigated through traffic and punched it just inside the far post for a 1-0 lead in the 51'. 



Oakton College responded by going on the offensive generating three shots and a corner kick over the next 14 minutes. In the game's 67', WolfPack goalkeeper Victor Dalum's pass up the middle to midfielder Omar Perez Luna was intercepted at the top of the penalty arc and eventually sent to the back of the net for the 1-1 equalizer. 

Madison College tried to answer back; however, sophomore Carter Uhlmann's redirect deflected off the crossbar late in the 72', and Nielsen's shot from the far side was denied by the Owls netminder. That save led immediately to the game-winning goal as Oakton College forward Erik Jimenez moved the ball up the field without challenge and lasered the game-winner over the hands of a retreating Dalum and just below the crossbar from 40-yards out to make it 2-1.

With some 17 minutes to play, the Pack tried franctically to generate their equalizer, but a shot by Riann Amini missed wide left and another by Nielsen again found the goalkeeper. Nielsen would also earn a red card in the 86', leaving the home team down a couple players at the finish.

The final numbers were extremely tight, with the visiting Owls finishing with ten total shots and seven on goal compared to nine shots and five on goal for Madison College. Nielsen, a native of Huntley, Illinois, was tops on the team with three shots on goal. Rogers, an Auckland, New Zealand, native, had the lone goal. Dalum, a first year player from Odense, Denmark, registered five saves and two goals allowed.

Up Next:

Madison College (0-1-0) is back on the home pitch on Wednesday, August 28 for a non-region match against Riverland Community College (0-0-0). The match will mark the fourth meeting all-time against the Blue Devils, with the WolfPack taking two wins in three matches between 1998 and 2000. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. and can be streamed live at MadisonCollege.tv.

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