Mendoza’s overtime goal lifts men’s soccer team past Bluffton, 4-3, in season-opener

OLIVET, Mich. – Freshman Coda Mendoza scored with 2:01 left in the second overtime period to lift the Olivet College men's soccer team past Bluffton (Ohio) University, 4-3, today in its season-opening game at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

Final Score: Olivet 4, Bluffton 3 (2OT)
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Bluffton 0-1 overall, Olivet 1-0 overall

• The Comets scored their first goal in just the third minute. Junior Joshua Rosendale got just enough of his head on the ball to sneak into the corner of the net at the far post. Freshman Jesus Escalante earned the assist on the goal.
• The Beavers tied the game in the 12th minute.
• Olivet took the lead back 2-1 in the 34th minute. Freshman Kjeil Dickinson served the ball into the box on a corner kick. Sophomore Dominik Burmeister used his body to re-direct the ball into the goal at the near post.
• Bluffton evened the score right before halftime on a penalty kick after a foul was called in the box.
• There was no scoring in the second half until the Beavers took their first lead in the 82nd minute.
• With 37.4 seconds left in the second half, a Bluffton player was whistled for a hand ball in the box. Burmeister stepped to the penalty spot and buried the penalty kick into the net for the game-tying goal.
• Neither team was able to score a goal in the first extra period.
• Junior Charles Halt had two great chances to win the game early in the second overtime period. Both shots were saved by the keeper.
• With the game clock winding down, Mendoza passed the ball to freshman Noah Runnals, who then lofted the ball towards the goal. Mendoza ran under the ball and got a head on it to send the ball into the goal.

• Olivet had a 23-11 advantage in total shots, including a 16-7 edge in shots-on-goal.
• Rosendale led the way with eight shots, placing five on-frame.
• Burmeister recorded five shots.
• Sophomore Andrew Aragon played the entire game in goal and collected four saves.

• Patrick Spillman, Dalton Taynor and Bishop Williamson netted the goals.
• Taynor had a team-leading four shots.
• Tanner Newport registered 12 saves.

• Bluffton played a man down for the final two minutes and 14 seconds of the second half and all of the overtime after a player received his second yellow card of the game, resulting in a red card.
• Today's game was the third all-time meeting between the two schools, and Olivet has now won all three meetings.
• The last time Olivet won a game in double overtime was a 3-2 decision vs. Albion College on Oct. 17, 2015.
• The Comets have never tied their season-opening game.

• Olivet is now off until a trip to Indiana next weekend. On Saturday afternoon, the Comets play at Anderson (Ind.) University and on Sunday, they play at Manchester (Ind.) University. Both games have a 2 p.m. start time.