Final Stats

Contact: Jeff Sattora

CLEVELAND, OH- The Cleveland State Vikings' men's soccer team got another critical league win Wednesday night, taking down Loyola 3-2 in overtime on the road.

The win was the fourth win in the last five games for the Vikings, with three of those wins coming in the extra overtime session. The team is now 8-5-2 overall and a solid 3-1-1 in league play.

Despite falling behind 0-2 early in the match CSU was able to use two goals by two of the team's most reliable players, Zach Ellis-Hayden and Mike Derezic, to help tie the game at 2-2 heading into the half.

Ellis Hayden first put the Vikings on the board off a pass from Jordan Hart, with Derezic following just twelve minutes later with a shot five yards out off a pass from Admir Suljevic to tie the game.

For Head Coach Ali Kazemaini, despite the tie going into the half, there are still things to work on.

"I was a little bit disappointed the way we came out and gave up two set pieces which is something we've been doing all year," Kazemaini said on the two early goals. "But we fought back and played some very good soccer to come back and got the result at the end."

Fighting back is exactly what the Vikings did on the road, and after neither team scored in the second half, Kazemaini knew that the team had what it took to get it done in the extra session.

"The chemistry of the team is getting to the point where we want to hold each other accountable, everyone wants to work for each other," Kazemaini said on the keys to the team's overtime success. "When you do have that good things happen." 

Good things are exactly what happened for the road team asAslinn Rodas was able to find Mike Derezic on left side of the net for his second goal of the game, and the game winner, in the 110th minute.

CSU will look to continue that momentum as the team will be back home Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. against UIC for the final regular season home game of the year at Krenzler Field.