Goodwell, Okla. – Adams State men's soccer picked up their first win of the season with a late game comeback victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State Wednesday Afternoon.
The game opened with Oklahoma Panhandle State taking an early lead when Marko Madaras scored in the 12th minute of the game. The early goal gave Oklahoma the upper hand, as they continued to push forward, but Adams State defense, led by Matteo Branger and Berend Heijmans, kept them from extending their lead.
Adams State struggled to break through Oklahoma's defense in the first half despite the Grizzlies being aggressive in their attack, with forwards Tobias Sereinig and Ranulfo Lopez taking several shots and Adams State taking 6 shots in the first half.
The second half saw the Grizzlies continue to push the pressure for Oklahoma Panhandle who experienced many discipline issues including several yellow cards and a team red card in the first half of the game. Adams State's persistence paid off in the 74th minute when Tim Mietenkorte scored an unassisted goal, the first of the season for Adams State.
With the momentum on the Grizzlies side, Mario Alejo took advantage of a defensive lapse by Oklahoma to score the go-ahead goal in the 77th minute, giving Adams State a 2-1 lead. While Oklahoma Panhandle State made some last-ditch efforts to equalize, with Madaras and Logan Danks both testing goalkeeper JP Fernandez late in the game, he made two key saves to help the Grizzlies hold on for the victory.
"Very tough game from the heat and physicality but I was very happy with how we responded during the game. We were lucky enough to see OPSU get a red card early which made us play harder and faster and at the end of the day, we got the goals we deserved and won. Very happy with the performance of the team and looking forward to our home opener on Saturday," said Head Coach Justin Gilfert.
A victory which is the first win since October 2022, when they defeated MSU-Denver 3-1. With this win, Adams State improved to 1-2-0 on the season. They will open their season at home on Saturday, September 21, when they play Sul Ross State University at 10 a.m.
