CALEDONIA, Mich. — The Davenport men's soccer team battled the elements and Purdue Northwest on Friday afternoon at Pappas Stadium in GLIAC action. The teams were deadlocked at 1-1 late in the game before the Panthers got what might be considered their best goal of the year.
Brody Conlon took a corner kick with less than a minute remaining and put the ball near the six-yard box.
Isiah Meyer with his back to the goal had a flick of the head and a glancing shot found its way into the back of the net for an incredible 2-1 victory over the Lions.
Carter McGowan kept the Panthers in the game making 11 saves to tie his season high. Purdue Northwest finished with a 21-8 advantage in shots and a 12-2 edge in shots on goal.
Davenport earned the first corner kick at 9:25, and after McGowan saved Aloe Berassa's shot at 12:20,
Charlie Davis sent a shot high and right at 13:28. Purdue Northwest followed with a stretch of pressure that included four corner kicks and six McGowan saves between 14:35 and 25:41, keeping the match scoreless through that sequence. The Lions broke through at 31:27, when Nikola Ivetic scored off a Landon Potts assist for a 1-0 lead, and the first half ended with that same score after
Aidan Orth missed high at 39:12 and McGowan saved Carson Byblow's shot at 42:40.
McGowan saved back-to-back Purdue Northwest shots at 48:40 and 48:44, and
Charlie Davis converted a penalty kick at 53:16 to tie the match at 1-1. It was Davis' third goal of the season, all coming on penalty kicks.
Archie Oliver put a Davenport shot over the top at 58:52, before Purdue Northwest had a stretch of chances from 61:13 to 71:00, including a McGowan save on Ivetic and a corner kick, and the score stayed 1-1 through a physical stretch that included Davenport's two yellow cards. Davenport had late chances with
Ethan Engle's shot at 83:17, four corner kicks from 85:35 to 88:57 and another Oliver shot, then Meyer scored his fourth goal of the season and his second game-winning goal of 2026.
Up next, Davenport hosts Parkside on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 11 a.m. in Caledonia, Mich. It will be Senior Day for the Panthers.
