CREVE COEUR, Mo. – The No. 2-seeded Maryville men's soccer team punched its ticket to the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament finals with a dramatic 7-6 penalty shootout victory over No. 3-seeded and No. 12-ranked McKendree on Friday night. The Saints secured back-to-back nail-biting results to advance to the championship match.
 
Freshman forward Omar Cilic delivered the decisive penalty kick after goalkeeper Steen Nielsen made two clutch saves in the shootout, sending Maryville to the finals. 
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Saints and Bearcats found themselves in a familiar battle, as neither team managed to score in regulation. Maryville's defense was dominant, holding McKendree without a shot on goal for the full 90 minutes and allowing only one shot in the second half. It was the second time this season the Saints achieved the feat, having limited McKendree to just two shots in their Oct. 10 matchup in Lebanon, Ill.
 
Leyson Losada and Mason Crew recorded Maryville's only shots on goal during regulation, while Sebastian Weitlaner came close in the 95th minute during the first overtime. As fatigue set in, both teams managed just one shot each in the second overtime, forcing the game into a penalty shootout.
 
Nielsen set the tone by saving McKendree's first attempt, and Maryville converted its first three penalties through Alberto Di Pierri, Carl Norby, and Weitlaner. A miss from the Saints briefly gave the Bearcats hope, but Crew, Adrian Fuster Juretzki, and Bryce Glisson kept the Saints alive.
 
Nielsen came up with another massive save to set the stage for Cillic, who calmly buried the final penalty to clinch the Saints spot on Sunday.
 
 
UP NEXT
Maryville will face No. 1-seeded Lewis in the GLVC Championship on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 12 p.m.