SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Wilmington College men’s soccer team was tested Saturday night by the Wittenberg University Tigers on the road.
However, the Quakers passed the test and won the game, 3-2, after an 83rd minute Parker Burke goal sealed the victory.
Burke scored two goals in the game and has now had a goal in five straight contests and multiple goals in the last two matches. Wilmington heads into its final non-conference game Wednesday night at Asbury University (Ky.) undefeated at 7-0-3.
Wittenberg got off to an incredibly fast start in the game, scoring off a corner kick just 32 seconds in. The Quakers joined the party in the 16th minute, as Jace Houck sent a high ball over Tiger defenders to a streaking Burke, who beat the keeper and tied the game at 1-1.
The Quakers took the lead in the 24th minute, as Houck sent a beauty of a through ball through four Tigers to Randy Harris, who put the ball into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead. A mishap on defense allowed Wittenberg to score in the final seconds of the first half and send it to the break at 2-2.
In the second half, just when it looked like a draw was imminent, Burke saved the day for Wilmington. Houck got a pass from William Jansson and sent another great pass through three Tigers to Burke, who had to beat a defender to his right and sent a strike past the keeper for the 3-2 lead.
Wilmington had to fight off three more Tigers shots down the stretch, including a last second shot off the crossbar, but came away with the victory.
