KENOSHA, Wis. - The Davenport men's soccer team picked up their first win over a Top 15 team since joining NCAA Division II on Friday with a 3-2 overtime victory at No. 14 Parkside. The Panthers improved to 3-0 in the conference and are now in sole possession of first place. The Rangers lost for the first time this season and did so after building a 2-0 lead in the first half.
Rade Novakovich and Edgar Heredia Victoria put the Rangers in a two-goal cushion. Novakovich scored his eighth goal of the season (ranks in the top 10 nationally) in the 18th minute and Heredia Victoria followed in the 22nd minute for his third of the season.
Davenport hung tough and got a break to start the comeback.
Justice Sikkema was tripped in the box and the Panthers were awarded a penalty kick.
Daire O'Riordan took the attempt and the shot was saved. However, the rebound came right back to him and he scored to cut the deficit in half in the 32nd minute.
Parkside managed to keep Davenport at arms length for most of the second half even though DU had nine shots compared to six for the Rangers. The persistence paid off for the Panthers as they tied the match in the 89th minute.
Matt Whelan came from left wing and crossed to Sikkema who delivered a solid left foot strike that went just inside the right post.
That momentum carried into overtime as DU needed just 1:44 to bury the winner. Sikkema was fouled just outside the 18-yard box at around 21 yards. Whelan took the direct kick and curved the ball perfectly glancing off the right post into the net for the 3-2 victory. It was Whelan's third straight game-winning goal. DU also picked up their first win against a ranked team since 2017 in the GLIAC Tournament.
"Today was an important win for league standings," said head coach
Chris Hughes. "Being down two goals is not an easy hurdle but yet the boys found a way to beat a very talented and well-coached Parkside team. I could not be more proud of them! We have more work to do since it's still early in the conference schedule. We will keep building and now focus on Northern Michigan on Sunday."
