Purdue Calumet Wins First CCAC Tourney Game in Thriller vs Roosevelt On Penalty Kicks

PUC-PeregrinsThe Purdue University Calumet men’s soccer team came out the victor in the penalty kick round to top Roosevelt University in a thriller, as the Peregrines captured their first postseason win this decade Saturday night in the first round of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament.

The five-seed Peregrines (11-6-1) advanced over the four-seed Lakers (13-6) in the penalty kick round, 5-3, after the two teams ended both overtime periods in a 2-2 draw. Purdue Calumet will travel to Bourbonnais, Ill., Wednesday for a semifinal matchup with top-seeded Olivet Nazarene University at the Tigers’ Ward Field. Match time is set for 6:30 p.m.

Junior Papa Otoo (Bradenton, Fla./Braden River) delivered the winning penalty kick, while teammates Andres Ayala (San Antonio, Texas/Ronald Reagan), JP Garza (San Antonio, Texas/Ronald Reagan), Victor Garcia (Whiting, Ind./Clark) and Zac Doepke (Troy, Mich./Troy) all connected on their penalty kick tries to seal a spot in the semifinals for the Peregrines.

With the Peregrines playing a man down for most of the second half, freshman Miguel David (Spring Valley, Calif./Bonita Vista) made an unbelievable save in the second overtime to help send the game into the penalty round.

Doepke opened the match’s scoring in the 10th minute, getting an assist from teammate Garza to give the Peregrines an early 1-0 lead. Purdue Calumet would add to it, as Ayala found the back of the net in the 33rd, connecting off a free kick. The Lakers, thought, would answer with two goals before the half (34th and 39th minute) to send the match into a draw heading into the break.

Olivet Nazarene (13-5) topped the Peregrines in the teams’ lone meeting this season, winning 2-0 at the Crown Point Sports Complex Sept. 30.

Saturday’s victory gave Purdue Calumet its first victory in the CCAC Tournament since the men’s soccer program was reinstated in 2012 after a nearly 15-year hiatus.