Box Score
LAREDO, Texas – With everything on the line at the Texas A&M International Soccer Complex on Saturday evening, the Dustdevils hosted No. 12 St. Edward's for the rights to the Heartland Conference championship. Both teams entered tied for first place, at 6-1-0 in conference play.
Lubbock Christian (7-1-0 Heartland, 10-4-1) stood higher, but is ineligible for the conference title or any postseason aspirations because of its provisional-member status in the Heartland. Provisional members do see their wins and losses count toward their opponents' standings, but the teams are ineligible for any postseason or regular season recognition.
With the conference race narrowed to the Hilltoppers and Dustdevils, the home sprint only became tighter with the teams' 1-1 overtime draw. A set of second-half strikes kept the teams on level pegging, with TAMIU freshman Ryan Hodgson (61st minute) scoring his team-leading eighth goal of the season and SEU's Daniel Riley (85th) netting his team-leading 14th goal of the season.
Dustdevils goalkeeper Jesus "Chuy" Cisneros ruled his realm, stopping seven St. Edward's attacks in the 110 minutes of play. Only the one strike got by him out of 15 Hilltopper attempts. Substitute Nate Coons recorded the assist on Riley's goal, which came with only five minutes remaining in regulation. The equalizer forced the pair of 10-minute overtime halves before the match ended even.
The Hilltoppers forced a similar situation last season, scoring with just seconds remaining in the head-to-head matchup to clinch the conference title from the two-time defending Dustdevils.
The teams have split the last four conference titles, with 2009 and 2012's sovereignty falling into SEU's claim and 2010-11 going to TAMIU.
Hodgson scored the then-go-ahead goal off a corner kick by Jovany Macias, who recorded the assist. Hodgson redirected his half-volley into the net and past SEU keeper John Kaschak.
The lead held up until Riley's 85th minute leveler, in which he nodded home a ball that Cisneros lost sight of in the setting sun. Coons placed a free kick on Riley's forehead and the populated penalty box seemed to get the best of Cisneros, dashing his clean sheet.
TAMIU saw game-changing chance in the 87th minute fall in its favor when French sophomore Tayeb Ahmadi broke down the center of the pitch with only Kaschak to beat. The play forced the visiting keeper to come far off his line, hip checking and fouling Ahmadi just outside of the 18-yard box. Kaschak had no choice, other than conceding a goal, on the play.
The result was a straight red card and a free kick rather than a penalty kick. The 10-man Hilltoppers were able to hold steady, as did the Dustdevils to set up an all-or-nothing final match on Monday. SEU visits St. Mary's (4-4 Heartland, 4-10) at noon; TAMIU hosts McMurry (2-6 Heartland, 4-11-1).
If the two remain with even conference records after Monday's matches, they will be declared co-Heartland Conference champions, but a win for one and a tie or loss for the other – in any combination – will give the victor the title.
Saturday's match served as senior day for the Dustdevils. Eight seniors were recognized by coach Claudio Arias during halftime of the match. He awarded team captain Arturo Gutierrez, Jaime Cano, Walter Anoruo, Cisneros, Adrian Elicerio, Joan Vallejo, Diego Manzano-Cano and Yamin Olavarrieta with framed game-action photographs and a public ceremony for friends, fans and family.
The Dustdevils will play McMurry in the final match of 2013 at noon on Monday at the TAMIU Soccer Complex.
