Scorpions 2, Dustdevils 1, 2OT
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BROWNSVILLE, TX -- There was drama at REK Center Field Monday night when few people expected any.
UTB/TSC was expected to cruise to another victory in its regular season finale, but instead needed 108 minutes to pull out a 2-1 victory in double overtime when Steve Howard's goal ended it.
The win leaves the Scorpions unbeaten with a 15-0-1 record. TAMIU, a member of the NCAA Division II Heartland Conference, played one of its best games of the season but dropped to 5-8-3.
UTB/TSC dominated the game, taking 33 shots compared to only eight for TAMIU, and had a 12-6 advantage on shots on goal.
Howard's goal triggered a wild celebration for the Scorpions, who completed their first undefeated regular season in only the third year of the Scorpion soccer program. The players celebrated on the field with the fans who stuck it out to the wild finish. They danced to a new song and sprayed water on each other, acting like young children.
"It was wild," Scorpion head coach Dan Balaguero said. "I was really relieved it. This was a great way to cap off regular season. I'm just so happy for the players, because they found a way to win. We kept plugging away and finally got the win."
UTB/TSC awaits the latest NAIA Coaches Top 25 poll to be released late Tuesday, to see if the Scorpions move any higher than last week's No. 15 ranking.
The game would have ended in a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes of regulation play. Non-conference games do not normally go into overtime, but TAMIU Coach Claudio Arias agreed to play for a win, and Balaguero said he would go on as well.
UTB/TSC and TAMIU went through the first 10-minute overtime scoreless, and the Scorpions threatened in the second overtime before Howard's game-winner with the second assist of the night by Evans Frimpong.
The Scorpions had four shots in the first overtime, and three in the second. TAMIU never got off a shot in the two overtime periods.
Frimpong's first assist came on a goal by Aaron Guerrero in the 32nd minute of the game. However, TAMIU came back with the equalizer on a goal by Roy Hernandez to make it 1-1 only two minutes later.
"We're delighted when you see how happy everybody is," Balaguero said. "We have a lot of different guys contributing. It was a good performance."
UTB/TSC now enters the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament as the top seed in Fort Worth Nov. 5-7. The Scorpions will have a bye in the first round and will play in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Friday. The winner of the conference tournament will represent the RRAC in the NAIA National Men's Soccer Tournament.
"We celebrated tonight, but it's back to work tomorrow," Balaguero said. "It's a new season when we start the playoffs."
