The NKU Norse men’s soccer team took the field for what would be the final home game of the season, kicking off against their Horizon League rival Wright State Raiders on Tuesday afternoon.
The scoring would take some time to get going for either side, but the tension started in no time at all. Roman Kedgley of the Raiders would receive one of 10 total yellow cards given out Tuesday afternoon less than seven minutes into the match.
A while later, Conner Osterholt would be the first player to get their team on the scoreboard, giving Wright State an early 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute.
The next few minutes would see both teams receive two yellow cards each, as NKU’s Jason Purks and Simon Knuewe would get carded, as well as Wright State’s Cole Werthmuller and Henry Hutchinson receiving the same level of discipline.
Neither team was backing down on this decision day that would show who would take a trip into the Horizon League tournament to represent their program.
Less than 10 minutes later, the Norse would find their way into the net, as a Parker Vasic shot would find nothing but net to even things up at one-all in the 31st minute.
Marko Odorcic would be called for the Raider’s fourth yellow card of the half with less than 10 minutes before the break.
The half saw NKU attempt five shots for the first time since the first half of their match against Milwaukee on Oct. 26. Despite being tied, the offense hoped to keep up this intensity and push the game to the final horn.
The second half started slow as well, as neither team scored until they were nearly 20 minutes into it.
A Felix Ezekwuka rocket into the net put the Raiders back on top, 2-1. Moments later, Ezekwuka would be called for yet another Wright State yellow card, but this would only be a sign of things to come for the Norse.
The final 10 minutes of this match saw all sorts of problems break loose, but mainly for the Norse.
NKU’s Bennett Gerak would be called for a yellow card in the 80th minute, and Osterholt would pick up the sixth and final yellow card on the Raiders’ tab for the night in the 81st minute.
Hutchinson would more than make up for his yellow card earlier in the match, as he would orchestrate the ball into the back of the net to add on to the lead and make it a 3-1 ball game with less than seven minutes to go. A Norse yellow card would pair with this goal, as the game’s 10th yellow card would be the fruition of NKU’s frustrations.
Edwin Espinal-Elvir would score the game’s final goal late in the 85th minute, putting the cherry on top of Wright State’s crushing 4-1 victory in Highland Heights.
The Norse finished with 10 shots to Wright State’s seven, but the Raiders won the shots on goal differential 6-4. Wright State’s three saves to NKU’s two would also be a telling story of the Norse’s season, as the slow offense would cost them a high contest game.
The Norse finish the season with a 3-6-7 record, and a 2-3-4 record in Horizon League play.