MACOMB, Ill. -- It came down to penalty kicks for the second straight match but once again thanks to reserve goalkeeper Kobe Gray, top-seeded Denver was able to secure its Summit League-record seventh postseason tournament title, claiming the 2021 #SummitMSOC Championship trophy by knocking off second-seeded Oral Roberts Saturday at John MacKenzie Alumni Field.
The two teams that split the regular season title could not decide the tournament title in 110 minutes of game play as that portion of the title match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Denver head coach Jamie Franks called on his backup netminder for the second straight match after he came up big in the same role in Thursday's win over fourth-seeded Kansas City. In that contest, the Pioneers prevailed as Gray made the game-clinching save on the Roos' fifth attempt to win the shootout 3-2.
In this one, Gray made four saves, the final one coming after teammate Destan Norman put his team ahead 3-2 for the first time on what was the sixth round of the shootout. Norman beat ORU goalkeeper Miles Motakef, who had a chance to give ORU the victory a round earlier as he attempted the Golden Eagles' fifth shot with the shootied tied at 2-2. Gray, who was named the Championship MVP, thrwarted away Motakef's attempt, setting the stage for Denver to win its third straight tournament title.
During game play, the Pioneers converted their first scoring chance in the third minute when Trevor Wright's header off a cross from Eli Mareness found the back of the net. The Pioneers had a free kick just moments before, but ORU could not clear it and Mareness was able to serve the ball from the right wing.
The Golden Eagles would even things at 1-1 in the 21st minute after Offensive Player of the Year Dante Brigida scored on a penalty kick. That opportunity came about after Andrew Nunez was tripped in the penalty box by DU goalkeeper Will DeSantis.
ORU would hold a 6-5 edge in shots with four of those on goal, but the tournament's top two seeds would go into halftime squared at 1-1.
The Pioneers' defense did not allow a shot on goal in the second half and Wright nearly duplicated his first-half heroics late in regulation, but this time his header was saved by ORU goalkeeper Miles Motakef.
DU did have a chance in the closing seconds, but could not get a clean look off as the horn sounded with action inside ORU's goalie box.
Both teams had decent looks in the first extra session. Kengo Ohira put his on goal, but Motakef was able to make the stop on a blast that came from outside the penalty box. ORU's Reed Berry got an open look in front of the goal, but his shot sailed high.
The NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament selection show is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on NCAA.com.
2021 #SummitMSOC All-Tournament Team
Kobe Gray, Denver (MVP)
Destan Norman, Denver
Trevor Wright, Denver
Liam Johnson, Denver
Dante Brigida, Oral Roberts
Juan Arias, Oral Roberts
Joe Ruiz, Oral Roberts
Cooper Clark, Kansas City
Mario Sandoval, Kansas City
Kenji Mboma Dem, Omaha
Ed Gordon, Omaha
Turning point
- DU backup goalkeeper Kobe Gray was called off the bench for the second straight match in Macomb for penalty kicks and came through for the Pioneers with four saves.
Inside the box score
- Denver held a 16-12 egde in shots and a 7-4 edge in shots on goal. Three of those shots came in the two 10-minute overtime periods.
- Summit League Offensive Player of the Year Dante Brigida scored his league-leading ninth goal of the season on first-half penalty kick.
- ORU goalkeeper Miles Motakef made six saves.
- DU's Trevor Wright scored his second goal of the season to open the scoring in the third minute. Wright's first goal came on Sept. 10 against Evansville.
News & Notes
- The last Summit League Championship final that went past regulation was in 2017 when third-seeded Omaha defeated top-seeded Denver 9-8 in penalty kicks after the teams played to a 1-1 draw.
- Denver becomes the first team in Summit League Championship history dating back to 1992 to win both of its games at the tournament via penalty kicks.
- The last time the title match was decided in overtime, third-seeded Western Illinois defeated top-seeded Oakland 4-3 in the first extra session.
#SUMMITMSOC
