Ice Cold Game Decided In Final Minutes

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/29/19)---Playing in one of the coldest home games in recent history, Concordia surrendered a goal in the final five minutes of the second half and fell 2-1 to Augsburg.

The game time temperature was 29 degrees which marked the first time in many years at the Jake Christiansen Athletic Complex that the temperature during a game has been below 32-degrees.

Despite the sub-freezing temps, the Cobbers and Auggies put on a solid display of control soccer that didn't turn into a game of long balls and restarts.

The teams traded possession time in the other squad's final third of the field. Augsburg started the game with the better of the chances and was rewarded in the 13th minute when senior MIAC MVP candidate Lionel Vang received a throw-in on the left wing just off the end line. He then proceeded to turn towards the goal and free space to run at a pair of defenders. The CC defense appeared to have Vang stopped but he somehow managed to slide past them and then curled a shot around Cobber goalie Noah Sahr which settled just inside the right post.

The Cobbers upped their offensive attack in the last 2 minutes of the opening period of play and were almost rewarded when their own MIAC MVP candidate – Sam Gess – missed curling in a free kick from 19 yards out. His shot scraped the outside of the left post.

The team's finished the first half deadlocked in total shots (5) and shots on goal (2).

The second half was the opposite of the first as Concordia held the play in the early stages and then Augsburg regained momentum towards the end of the period.

Gess went close to tying the game in the 58th minute of play when he found himself alone with the ball on the right side of the penalty box but his uncontested shot barely sailed over the crossbar.  

The Cobbers tied the game in the 21st of the second period when Gess was able to control the ball on the left side of the penalty area. He then slid a pass through several defenders that found the foot of freshman Casey Haldis. Haldis then 1-touched the ball further into the middle of the goal mouth where Sondre Rygg stood unmarked. Rygg calmly slotted the ball into the net to tie the game at 65:43.

The goal was Rygg's second of the season. Gess earned his team-leading 34th point of the season on the play. His 34 points moves into sole possession of third place on the program's all-time single season point list. 

The game then turned into penalty area-to-penalty area affair as it looked like the outcome would be settled in overtime.

Augsburg claimed the game winner off of deadball from deep in the Cobber defensive third of the field. The Auggies served the kick into the goal area but it was cleared back toward the right wing where the Augsburg player was able to settle the ball and then hit another cross into the goal mouth. The second serve proved to be the game winner as an Auggie player headed home the goal from six yards out at the 85:12 mark.

Concordia had a late push in the final two minutes of play and earned a corner kick in the final 30 seconds but was never able to come up with the equalizer.

The even game was highlighted on the stat sheet with both teams having 11 total shots in the game. Augsburg broke the shots on goal tie with the gam-winning goal. The Auggies had four shots on frame as compared to three for CC.

Gess finished off his career at home by putting up a game-high six shots with two shots on goal. He now has 69 shots on the season which is third in the MIAC.

Sahr turned aside three shots in goal for the Cobbers.

UP NEXT: Concordia will finish off the 2019 season when they play at St. Olaf on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m.  

COBBER SINGLE SEASON POINT RECORDS
T1. 42 - Peter Curry (16g 10a) - 1994
T1. 42 - Riley McGlynn (16g 10a) - 2010
3. 34 - Sam Gess (14g 6a) – 2019
T4. 33 - Todd Hashbarger (8g 17a) - 1997
T4. 33 - Mike Hashbarger (11g 11a) - 1993
5. 32 - Justin Foss (15g 2a) - 2008
T6. 29 - Peter Curry (11g 7a) - 1995
T6. 29 - Chance Buzzell (9g 11a) - 2001
8. 28 - Brian Mahan (8g 12a) - 1995
T9. 27 - Josh Spaulding (11g 5a) - 1999
T9. 27 - Dustin Allard (11g 5a) - 2001
T9. 27 - Todd Hashbarger (9g 9a) - 1996
12. 26 - Todd Hashbarger (8g 10a) - 1995
T13. 25 - Brian Mahan (7g 11a) - 1994
T13. 25 - Riley McGlynn (11g 3a) - 2009
15. 24 - Nate Weaver (9g 6a) - 2019