The rivalry goes way back to the first time these two teams met on September 17, 1984. Thirty-one years later they continue to battle. The tension was thick Saturday night as the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's soccer team traveled to UW-Oshkosh for an important regional match. The fifth-ranked Warhawks came away with a 0-0 double-overtime draw to move to 14-2-1 this season. The Titans are now 10-3-3.
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The Warhawks tested Titan goalkeeper Sam Gabrilska early in the match.
Jordan Wilkins (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) put the game's first shot on goal in the 4th minute, but Gabrilska made the save.
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Nine minutes later, UW-Oshkosh strung together a pair of shots followed by a corner kick to put some pressure on the Warhawks. The first shot sailed high and the second was blocked.
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Warhawk goalkeeper
Alex Buchman (Waterford, Wis./Waterford) was tested for the first, and only, time in the first half when Titan midfielder Jacob Hernandez ripped a shot on net in the 37th minute. Buchman was there to make the save and keep the Titans off the board.
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Moments later, Titan defender Matt Cheaney was issued his second yellow card of the match, and was subsequently removed from the field.
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Neither team was able to post a quality shot for the remainder of the half.
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The second half started much like the first, with the Warhawks going on an early offensive attack.
Dylan Hottsmith (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) fired a shot on goal in the 54th minute, but Gabrilska was again up to task and kept the scoreboard silent.
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Things got dicey in the 63rd minute when
Sam Novak (Milton, Wis./Milton) was issued his second yellow card of the match, thus resulting in a red card and his removal from the game.
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During the next few minutes momentum seemed to swing in the Titans' direction. UW-O earned one corner and peppered the Warhawks with four shots over the course of the next 10 minutes.
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Justin Stanko (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) nearly gave the Warhawks a lead in the 78th minute, firing a shot on goal that was knocked away, out of bounds, by Gabrilska resulting in a corner kick.
Kyle Clancy (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) took the ensuing kick but the Warhawks were unable to capitalize.
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At the other end of the field Buchman came up big for the Warhawks in the 84th minute. Some nice passing by the Titans gave Jakub Rys a great look at a shot, but Buchman made the save to preserve the shutout.
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Neither team was able to gain solid control for the rest of regulation, and for the 6th time in 34 meetings, the two teams headed to overtime.
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Hottsmith had the best opportunity of the first overtime. After controlling a ball from the midfield he got a step on the last defender, but he pushed his shot just right of the net.
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Buchman kept the score knotted at zero after making a save just 35 seconds into the second overtime, and that's how the match would end.
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UW-Oshkosh outshot the Warhawks 25-9 in the match, but only four of those shots were on goal.
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One regular season game remains for UW-Whitewater. The Warhawks will travel to UW-Platteville on Wednesday, October 28 for a match at 7 pm. UW-W will then await the announcement of the 61-team NCAA Division III tournament field on Monday, November 9 to see if their season will continue.
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