Tyrik Trotman scored on a penalty kick in the 88th minute to lift The Master's men's soccer team to a 2-1 win over the Menlo Oaks in the semifinals of the GSAC Championship Tournament Thursday.
The Mustangs will now play Hope International on Saturday for the GSAC championship.
Theo Kudlo was tripped by Menlo's Roy Rosenberg just as Kudlo entered the 18-yard box on a breakaway with just 2:26 remaining in regulation. The officials got together and ruled the trip occurred inside the box, resulting in the penalty kick.
Trotman, an All-GSAC selection this year, had to face the conference's player of the year, Oaks' goalkeeper Joe Krumsvik, for the PK. As Trotman drove toward the ball to make the kick, Krumsvik dove to his right, but Trotman drilled the ball into the opposite side of the net for the winning goal.
"What a crazy emotional game with some great momentum boost at the right time," said TMU Head Coach Jim Rickard. "As the game wore on Menlo's composure and depth really started to take over, things weren't looking good. Then the tireless work of everyone paid off with Theo winning a ball and driving it toward the goal to get the PK. And such a clutch finish for Tyrik to bury it for the lead against the player of the year. Just an incredible team effort against the No. 1 undefeated team in the GSAC."
The win by the Mustangs (9-5-3) not only sent the team into the conference championship game, but gave Menlo their first loss of the season and snapped the Oaks' 21-game home win streak, which dates back to 2019.
The Master's got on the board first in the 29th minute when
Paul Kopp took a shot from about 15 yards out. A Menlo defender tried to head the ball away, but instead the ball went into the goal giving TMU the 1-0 lead they took into the locker room.
The Oaks, ranked No. 24 in the nation, came out after the break determined to get back into the game, controlling the possessions from the whistle. Less than nine minutes into the second half, Menlo's Mattia Celant scored off an assist from Oliver Mayer to knot the game at 1-1. Despite the added momentum for the Oaks, the Mustangs were able to hold their own and force the dramatic seventh goal of the season by Trotman.
A key moment came less than three minutes into the second half when a hand ball was called against the Mustangs inside their own box. That resulted in a PK for Menlo. The Oaks' Axel Valle was given the chance to take the shot against 2023 All-GSAC Goalkeeper
Kian Bensend. Valle's shot was driven low and to the left, which is exactly where Bensend was diving for the save.
Bensend finished with seven saves in the game.
The Master's will now play Hope International, a team that finished regulation and two overtimes against the defending GSAC champion Vanguard Lions, before winning 4-3 in penalty kicks to advance to Saturday's championship. The Royals defeated the Mustangs 4-0 on Oct. 19 in Irvine, Calif.
Kickoff for Saturday's championship is scheduled for 1 p.m. Click
HERE to watch the game.
