KALAMAZOO, Mich. --It might have taken an extra two periods, but
Charlie Sharp,
Jonathan Robinson, and the Western Michigan men's soccer team defeated Northern Illinois University 3-1 in overtime to advance to the Missouri Valley Conference tournament final.
"I thought we were the better team without question on the day and deserve to advance and play for another championship Saturday afternoon", said head coach Chad Wiseman. "That being said, I thought NIU played very well, their goalkeeper kept them in the game, they sat deep but defended strong and cut a lot of balls out of their own 18 box. Their goal came against the run of play on the counter and you have to give credit to them, they did very well in that sequence of play", noted Wiseman.
After three-quarters worth of play completed Wednesday, the Broncos found themselves down 1-0 to NIU. As time began to slip away from the Brown and Gold, Tom Cooklin was able to find his teammate Sharp for a crucial score to even the game up at one goal apiece. Sharp's strike would make him Western Michigan's all-time leading goal scorer, breaking the record that had been set by Dan Edwards (1991-94) for nearly 30 years.
"No Bronco has scored more goals than Charlie. What a career he has had, to break the record in The Valley tournament, on our home field, and when the team needed a goal. I am so proud of the career he has had and the person he is." said Wiseman.
With momentum on their side, the Broncos continued to attack and attack, resulting in a game-high 40 shots on the afternoon. After 90 minutes of play completed, the Broncos and Huskies battled onward into two overtime periods. During the 98th minute of action Wednesday, defender Jonathan Robinson netted one into the back of the net off assisting teammates Noah James and Sharp, to give Western Michigan a crucial 2-1 lead in the first overtime period.
Later, in the second overtime period, the forward Sharp put a stamp on Western Michigan's victory, providing an insurance goal in the 102nd minute. During Sharp's goal, his teammates Dylan Sing and Robinson were credited with assists as they were able to find the forward for his second goal of the match.
Historical Notes
Sharp now claims the program record for the most goals in Western Michigan men's soccer history. After Sharp's goal in the 81st minute, he broke his tie with Edwards (34 goals) for the program lead. Edwards had owned the all-time goals record for nearly 30 years, dating back to 1994.
The defender Robinson now sits one assist away from tying Eric Conerty (2019-22) for the eighth-most assists recorded in a Bronco career. Currently, the defender is at 15 career assists and counting over the span of just two seasons with the Brown and Gold.
Up Next
The Brown and Gold are looking to clinch their spot in the NCAA tournament with an automatic berth via a Missouri Valley Conference tournament title on Saturday, November 11, in a rematch with Missouri State. The game will be played at WMU Soccer Complex, with kickoff scheduled at 1:00 PM. Live stats and livestream information can be found under the WMU men's soccer schedule.
Game Winning Goal