Northern Kentucky and Milwaukee Set to Meet in #HLMSOC Championship
INDIANAPOLIS – No. 3 seed Milwaukee earned a 2-1 road win at No. 2 UIC on Sunday at Flames Field to advance to the Horizon League Men’s Soccer Championship match. In addition, the Horizon League announced on Sunday that due to COVID-related matters among Wright State's men’s soccer Tier I personnel and per Horizon League protocols, Northern Kentucky automatically advanced to Saturday’s championship match and will host Milwaukee at the NKU Soccer Stadium at 5 p.m. ET.
No. 3 Milwaukee 2, No. 2 UIC 1
The Panthers advanced to their second consecutive #HLMSOC Championship match after getting by the Flames in Chicago for the second season in a row, this time by the score of 2-1.
With the match tied at 1-1 in the 86th minute, All-Horizon League First Team selection Paolo Gratton connected with a header off a service from Quinn Rechner that went over the out-stretched hands of the keeper to give Milwaukee the victory. The goal marked Gratton’s League-best 10th of the season.
Milwaukee got on the board early in the first half to take a 1-0 advantage as Raul Medina buried a penalty kick into the back of the net in the sixth minute after Logan Farrington drew a foul inside the penalty area to set up the PK opportunity.
UIC found an equalizer in the 67th minute as Christian Crespo and Nkusuwila Zulu made a couple of quick passes to find Roberto Alonzo at the top of the 18-yard box and flipped a shot over the diving keeper to pull the Flames back to 1-1.
The Flames outshot the Panthers 19-10, including 10-5 in shots on goal, but Nick Chiappa was up to the task for MKE as he made nine saves to help Milwaukee advance to Saturday’s #HLMSOC championship match.
This will be Milwaukee’s 10th appearance in the Men’s Soccer Championship match.
For more information on the Horizon League Men’s Soccer Championship, visit the Championship Central page.