Men's Soccer Tops Tulsa in Overtime Win

Sunday, October 27

Memphis, Tenn.

1:30 PM

University of Memphis

10-4-0, 4-1-0

Tulsa

4-8-1, 0-4-0

Tulsa

Memphis

Photo by: Eric Glemser

Oct 27, 2019 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Tigers clinch spot in AAC Championship with fourth conference win

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – Finally taking the pitch after rescheduling from Saturday, the Memphis men's soccer team needed 20 seconds of overtime to take a 2-1 win against conference foe Tulsa Sunday afternoon. The win marks the 10th victory of the season for the Tigers, a total that hasn't been reached since 2011.

After allowing the first goal of the match by Tulsa, an equalizer in the first half set the score for the remainder of regulation. Sam Ashton, returning after missing a pair of games, slotted home the winner.

"It was a grind. There were moments we played well, and moments we didn't," Head Coach Richard Mulrooney said of the win. "At the end of the day, the guys saw it through, and I'm happy we came out on the right side of it."

The contest was a physical, back-and-forth affair, starting with a pair of corner kicks for Tulsa in the first few minutes. The Golden Hurricane controlled the first 20 minutes of the match, outshooting the Tigers 4-1.

Memphis had an opportunity to strike early, earning a PK in the 22^nd minute. The attempt would be saved by the Tulsa goalkeeper, maintaining the stalemate.

The first goal of the match would be claimed by the visitors, after a botched clearance left Tulsa with an opportunity and a shooter in place.

Memphis wouldn't stay down long, though, recovering and pressuring after the score. Receiving a beauty of a ball from Gurman Sangha, Peyton McKnatt would punch home his first goal of the year, knotting the score at 1-1.

Goalkeeper Parker Lackland would keep the score even into the close of the half, parrying a pair of shots in the closing minutes from the visitors. Lackland would finish with a season-high six saves.

Memphis started the second half with three terrific chances at shots, all of which would miss wide left.

Momentum swung like a pendulum throughout the second half, with both teams controlling possession for portions of the second 45 minutes. Tulsa took control through the midway point of the half, ripping three shots in quick succession in and around the 58^th minute.

The Tigers provided a frantic finish to regulation, with shots from Peter Chang and Artur De Luca in the 85^th and 87^th minutes coming inches from clinching the win without overtime.

Playing in their fifth overtime match of the season, the Tigers knew exactly how to handle the added intensity of a golden goal situation, taking little time to establish offense. McKnatt and Alexandros Ierides connected on passes, ultimately finding their way to Ashton, who finished the Golden Hurricane off with the golden goal.

Ashton's goal gives him 10 on the season, marking the first time a Tiger has scored double-digit goals in a season since Mark Sherrod in 2012. The win also clinches a spot in the American Athletic Conference Championship for a second-straight season. After the weekend, Memphis sits in the 2-seed.

"Last year when we made it, we celebrated," Mulrooney said clinching an AAC Championship berth. "This year, the expectations are higher, that we make a run. Not taking it for granted, but there are bigger boxes to check."

Memphis hits the road for its final road contest of the season, taking on UCF on Friday, Nov. 1. Follow the Tigers on social media at /MemphisSoccer and @MemphisMSoccer for more information.