KENOSHA, Wis. — The Davenport men's soccer team rose to the moment on Sunday, surviving 110 grueling minutes and an intense 8–7 penalty shootout to advance past Parkside in the GLIAC quarterfinals at Wood Road Field.
It marked the third meeting between the two programs this season — all ending in draws through regulation — but this one carried far greater stakes. Davenport once again prevailed when it mattered most, eliminating Parkside in the GLIAC quarterfinals for the second straight year.
The Panthers faced brutal conditions with temperatures near freezing and gusting winds, yet they dictated the pace from the start. Parkside struck first in the eighth minute when Eduardo Aguilera-Guillen scored off a feed from Yeison Santos, but Davenport quickly settled into rhythm and created a barrage of chances. The Panthers fired 19 first-half shots, including eight on goal, but Parkside goalkeeper Daniyal Rana stood tall to preserve the 1–0 lead at halftime.
Davenport finally broke through early in the second half. In the 51st minute,
Easton Lopez found the equalizer after connecting on a pass from
Drew Matyunas, with
Charlie Davis earning a secondary assist to bring the score level at 1–1.
Parkside briefly reclaimed the lead in the 66th minute through another Aguilera-Guillen goal, but the response from Davenport was almost immediate. Just 44 seconds later,
Max Wilhelm ripped a shot from the right edge of the box off the left post and in, assisted by
Aidan Orth, to make it 2–2.
From there, the Panthers dominated the run of play. They finished with a 39–20 advantage in shots and 18–8 edge on goal, forcing Rana into 16 saves. Davenport's defense, anchored by goalkeeper
Beau Hudd, turned away several Parkside chances down the stretch. Hudd recorded six saves, including two critical stops in overtime.
The match was ultimately decided in penalties, where both sides converted their first seven attempts. Hudd opened the shootout by burying Davenport's first kick, then sealed the win himself — diving left to stop Rana's eighth-round attempt and send the Panthers on to the semifinals.
Postlewait led Davenport with six shots, while Lopez and Wilhelm each tallied a goal. Orth, Matyunas, and Davis added assists in a balanced offensive effort.
With the result, Davenport advances to the GLIAC semifinals for the sixth consecutive season, improving to 4–7–6 overall (3–5–4 GLIAC). The Panthers will face top-seeded Saginaw Valley State on Friday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. in University Center, Michigan.
