KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech keeper
Noah Harwood did all he could to keep the Hustlin' Owls in today's match-up with No. 22-ranked Rocky Mountain, making a career-high seven saves, many at point-blank range, but the Battlin' Bears used a pair of second half goals to escape with a 3-1 victory at the OIT Soccer Field.
Fynn Sweeting broke a 1-1 tie with a goal 39 seconds into the second half and added an insurance goal inside the final three minutes, as Rocky (5-0-3, 3-0-1 CCC) remained undefeated on the season.
The Bears held the run of play for much of the day, but the Hustlin' Owls (3-2-5, 1-2-1) made the most of their nine shot attempts. After Luke Tooze gave RMC a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute on a penalty kick, Tech answered with their only shot on frame in the first half, as
Cash Cota played a 19th minute cross into the middle of the area, with
Sammy Villalta elevating and heading home the equalizer.
In the early seconds after the break, Rory O'Donnell played a cross from right to left, finding a charging Sweeting, who lined a shot into the left corner of the goal to give the visitors the lead.
OIT was sent into scramble mode after a red card forced the Owls to play down a man for the final 20 minutes. While Harwood made three consecutive diving saves off shots inside the area, reserve
Andrew George hit a 20-yard shot in the 82nd minute that Rocky keeper Biruk Paulos-Negatu had to make a diving stop to preserve the lead.
Sweeting put the game away in the 87th minute, scoring against the run of play to make it 3-1.
RMC finished with an 18-9 edge in shots and a 10-1 edge in corners – but were unable to score on the set piece chances.
Tech closes out the homestand tomorrow, hosting Carroll at 2:30 p.m.
