5-Minute Span Upends Cobbers

MOORHEAD, Minn. (9/10/23)---The Cobbers were in control of their home opener against Neb. Wesleyan until they weren't.

Gannon Brooks pounced on a bad back pass to give Concordia a 1-0 lead at 2:06 of the second half, and it looked like CC would grind out the final 40 minutes of play to post their third win of the year. Unfortunately, a span of 5:28 midway through the final frame cost Concordia a chance to win the first game of the year at The Jake and led to a 2-1 defeat.

THE 411: Brooks was "Gannon on the Spot" when he ran down a pass intended for the goalie. The NWU goalie waited for the ball to come to him; by then, it was too late as Brooks beat the keeper to the loose ball and tapped it into the open goal. CC controlled the next 25 minutes of the game and appeared to have taken the Prarie Wolves out of the game. NWU subbed through most of their starting players to find the right combination but couldn't find a rhythm as the Cobbers continued to possess the ball in the NWU half of the field.

The game changed in the 72nd minute of play when Wesleyan was awarded a penalty kick after a Concordia defender ran over an NWU attacker at the top left corner of the penalty area. Cobber goalie Jensen Waltz made a huge stop on the ensuing spot kick, but the ball rebounded directly back to the Wesleyan PK taker, and he slotted it into the net to tie the score at 1-1 at the 71:50 mark.

The Prairie Wolves won the game from a throw-in on the right wing. They were able to get the ball to their tall center back, who flicked the ball with his head toward the CC goal. An NWU attacker ran on to the flick and 1-timed it past Waltz for the game winner.

THE NEXT LEVEL: The penalty kick stop was Waltz' second of the season. He also stopped a PK in the season opener at Dubuque. We will go out on a limb and state that Waltz leads Division III in penalty kick stops this year.

THE NUMBERS GAME: Concordia was outshot 5-3 in shots on goal and 13-7 in total shots. Wesleyan had a decided edge in shots in the first half, but then the teams were almost deadlocked in the final 45 minutes of play. NWU held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks, and the referee dished out five yellow cards in the game.

INDIVIDUALLY SPEAKING: Brook's early second-half goal was his second of the season – he also netted one in the season opener – and the fifth nugget in his 1-plus-year Cobber career. Waltz made three saves for CC and has now played all 360 minutes between the sticks for Concordia.                           

UP NEXT: Concordia will open MIAC play when they head Northeast to Duluth to square off against St. Scholastica on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. The Saints are 1-3 on the year and are coming off a 3-1 win over Concordia (Wis.) on Sunday.